If there was ever a team that needed to suffer a case of short-term memory loss, the Penn State men's basketball team is the perfect candidate for it.

The Nittany Lions' (6-10, 0-3 Big Ten) trip to the heart of Big Ten country was one they would like to soon forget.

Penn State lost both games by more than 20 points and was completely outplayed in every aspect of the game. The Lions were outrebounded and out-scored in nauseatingly high numbers when the game was still in doubt.

In the first half of those games the Lions were outrebounded 41-27, gave up 82 points, and saw Minnesota and Illinois go on 17-6 and 16-0 runs, respectively. The point total shouldn't be a surprise, Penn State is last in the Big Ten in scoring defense, but those rebounding numbers are because the Lions are fourth in the Big Ten in total rebounds and first in offensive; thanks to junior forward Aaron Johnson's conference-leading 9.8 per game.

It can only get better, right?

Nope.

When Penn State returns home to the friendly confines of the Bryce Jordan Center at 12:15 p.m. tomorrow, it has to face a young and athletic team in the Michigan Wolverines (11-5, 2-0).

The Lions will have trouble trying to stay with the Wolverines because of the short bench that coach Ed DeChellis has to work with. That's nothing new to the second-year coach; last year he had a nine-man roster because of multiple transfers -- but last year he had sophomore guard Marlon Smith, who will miss his third straight game due the an undisclosed illness.

The only positive to having a short bench is the fact that the freshmen that will be the future of the program will get some immeasurable experience against conference opponents.

Last year, sophomore guard Ben Luber was one of the recipients of that experience. The veterans have been trying to pass on what they learned during those trail-by-fire games to this year's crop of young players.

"[Ben] has helped me out a lot, even going back to preseason," freshman guard Mike Walker said. "You know, showing me easy ways to stay fresh and stuff and not get tired. You know, little, little, little tips to just keep me going. He's been helpful with me from day one."

It will be the job of those young guys, like Walker, to try and contain a Michigan team that is riding a five-game winning streak and is coming off of a 10-point victory at home against Northwestern.

Michigan's size on the inside should be enough to contain Penn State star Johnson, its only inside presence, and keep him from being as big of a force as he is used to. The Exton native is averaging 14.9 points per game; that's good for ninth in the conference.

The Lions have had one player that has yet to be contained during the Big Ten in freshman forward/guard Geary Claxton.

Claxton's aggressiveness has been a handful for every defense he has faced so far. He is averaging about 16 points and five boards in three Big Ten games.

"[Claxton's] been playing to his strengths," DeChellis said. "He's been slashing, offensive rebounding, taking 12-foot shots and making his 12-foot shots. We're trying to do some things where he slashes and curl to the basket, where he can score around the basket. He's done a pretty good job at figuring it out. He done a pretty good job for being a freshman."

The two players from the Maize-and-Blue who will be in charge of stopping Johnson and Claxton are 6-foot-11 sophomore forward Courtney Sims and 6-8 classmate Brent Petway -- if healthy. Sims and Petway have been a force defensively for the Wolverines, registering 28 and 27 blocks, respectively, while averaging 6.4 rebounds, placing them ninth and 10th in the Big Ten.

On the offensive end, 6-foot-3 point guard Daniel Horton and guard Dion Harris lead the way. Horton and Harris are first and second on the team in scoring. Horton also is a terrific shooter, shooting more than 42 percent from the field and behind the arc.

"[Michigan's] backcourt is really good with Harris and Horton," DeChellis said. "A very good backcourt of perimeter shooters.

"Courtney Sims, obviously, is a 6-11 kid inside and they've done a good job of mixing in the guys that have been hurt. ... Their perimeter guys have been there and my take [on Michigan] is that they are pretty good and we will have our hands full."

Smith still in hospital

The Daily Collegian has confirmed that Smith is still listed in serious condition at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

DeChellis said yesterday that Smith is undergoing tests in hopes of being able to confirm what caused the guard to collapse at practice last Friday.

DeChellis said that he couldn't update Smith's condition because Smith's family has requested that the team keep everything confidential. He did say that he and some players visited Smith in the hospital on Sunday and that he was resting comfortably, in good spirits, and "being the same old Marlon."