Michigan Wolverines basketball is an undefeated 5-0 coming out of non-conference play, with the Wolverines having most recently knocked off Toledo, 91-71. The Maize and Blue will play host to Penn State this afternoon at Crisler Center. The Nittany Lions are 3-1 and have exceeded expectations in the early going, having knocked off No. 15 Virginia Tech, 75-55, in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge last week.

After star forward Lamar Stevens' graduation, Penn State has become much more of a balanced team offensively, with four players scoring in double figures this year as opposed to just two a season ago. Sophomore forward Seth Lundy is leading the Penn State offense at 16.8 points per game from the power forward spot. He shoots 50 percent from the field and a whopping 40.9 percent from long range.

Lundy's counterpart, Michigan senior forward Isaiah Livers is leading the Wolverines in points, scoring 16.2 points per game after forgoing the NBA Draft this offseason. Livers versus Lundy will make for an exciting matchup.

Michigan fifth-year senior forward Austin Davis suffered a lower leg injury in Wednesday's game against Toledo that has him out indefinitely. That means freshman center Hunter Dickinson, who is averaging 14.8 points and 7.4 boards per game, will likely be inserted into the starting lineup for the first time in his career.

Michigan's offense is one of the country's elite, currently standing at seventh in Kenpom's efficiency ratings. Both teams push the pace and shoot the ball at a high percentage, which could allow for a high-scoring affair.

Below is everything you need to know ahead of the game, including a lineup breakdown, key statistics and a Q&A with Nate Bauer, the senior editor of Blue And White Illustrated.

Date: Sunday, Dec. 13

Time: 2:00 p.m. ET

Venue: Crisler Center (Ann Arbor, Mich.)

Channel: Big Ten Network

On The Call: Brandon Gaudin (play-by-play) & Stephen Bardo (analyst)

Radio: Detroit: WWJ-Radio (950 AM) | Ann Arbor: WWWW (102.9 FM)

On The Call: Brian Boesch (play-by-play) & Terry Mills (analyst)

Line: Michigan -6.5

Over/Under: 152

KenPom Prediction: Michigan 78, Penn State 72

Clayton Sayfie Prediction: Michigan 81, Penn State 75

RELATED: Is Hunter Dickinson The Best Freshman In The Big Ten?

RELATED: Why Michigan's Hunter Dickinson Is Ready For The Added Challenge

#12 - Fifth-year senior guard Mike Smith (5-11, 185) — Columbia grad transfer is averaging 7.8 points and 5.2 assists per game, while shooting 43.3 percent from the floor.

#55 - Senior guard Eli Brooks (6-1, 185) — Averaging 9.2 points, four assists and 2.0 rebounds per contest ... Is shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from long range.

#21 - Sophomore guard Franz Wagner (6-9, 220) — Averaging 10.2 points and seven rebounds per game, while shooting 51.4 percent from the floor ... Struggling from long range, has made three of his 10 attempts from three this year, but went 2-for-2 last game.

#2 - Senior forward Isaiah Livers (6-7, 230) — The team's leading scorer is averaging 16.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and two assists per tilt, while shooting 56.6 percent from the field and 48.1 percent from long range.

#1 - Freshman center Hunter Dickinson (7-1, 255) — The freshman may make his first start, with fifth-year senior Austin Davis being injured last game ... He has been playing the most minutes at the center spot (22.6 per game) and is contributing 14.8 points and 7.4 boards per contest, while shooting 70.7 percent from the field.

Key Bench Players

#15 - Senior guard Chaundee Brown (6-5, 215) — Averaging 12 points and 3.4 rebounds per game off the bench in 2.8 minutes ... Is connecting on 46.2 percent of his three-pointers.

#23 - Junior forward Brandon Johns Jr. (6-8, 240) — Plays the four and five spot off the bench ... Averages six points and 3.6 rebounds per contest and is shooting 75 percent.

#5 - Freshman forward Terrance Williams (6-7, 240) — Putting up 4.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in 11 minutes.

#0 - Junior guard Myreon Jones (6-3, 180) — Averages 12.3 points, 3.3 assists and 2.5 rebounds per outing ... Shoots 32 percent overall and 30.8 percent from long range.

#5 - Senior guard Jamari Wheeler (6-1, 170) — Scores 7.3 points per game and adds 4.8 assists and 4.3 rebounds ... Shoots 45.5 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from deep.

#12 - Junior guard Izaiah Brockington (6-4, 200) — Posts 14 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest, while shooting 51.2 percent overall and 36.4 percent on three-pointers.

#1 - Sophomore forward Seth Lundy (6-6, 219) — PSU's leading scorer averages 16.8 points and 3.5 boards per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from three.

#21 - Senior forward John Harrar (6-9, 240) — A force down low, Harrar is averaging 7.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per night, while shooting 66.7 percent ... He crashes the offensive glass at a high level, averaging four offensive rebounds per game.

Key Bench Players

#3 - Junior guard Sam Sessoms (6-0, 187) — The Binghampton transfer plays a significant amount — 26.3 minutes per game — at the lead guard spot ... Averages 12.3 points and 3.5 assists per game, while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from long range.

#2 - Junior forward Myles Dread (6-4, 220) — The backup at both wing positions, Dread puts up nine points and 3.3 rebounds per contest, and shoots 41.9 percent overall and 40 percent from deep.

#15 - Senior forward Trent Buttrick (6-8, 240) — The secondary player at the big man spot averages 1.8 points and 1.3 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per contest.

The Wolverine: How is this team and program different under Jim Ferry than it was under Pat Chambers?

Bauer: It’s not, and that was entirely Ferry’s objective when assuming the title of interim head coach. He very plainly said that given the success the team had last season, climbing as high as No. 9 nationally before falling off down the stretch due to some illnesses and absences, that it would be crazy to try to really alter the program’s approach. Add in the human component of the situation with players already upset over what took place, and that made the decision even easier.

The core philosophies, the offensive approach, the defensive approach, all of it has stayed in place. But the element that you can never really tell in a situation like this is how a team is going to respond to something so jarring, just as easily mailing it in as it would be to rally around each other with an even greater purpose than maybe existed before.

So far, that seems to be what’s taking place, but the balance of a team’s psyche is always a delicate thing, which makes the response to the disappointing Seton Hall overtime loss that much more impressive.

The Wolverine: Lamar Stevens ran the show last year, but this season so far, four Nittany Lions are averaging in double figures. What are the differences offensively between this season and last year?

Bauer: You’ve got, effectively, four guards on the floor that can handle the ball, pass, and shoot. Stevens’ game was so effective in iso that much of what Penn State did offensively last season had to do with clearing the floor for him to work or allowing him to find the open man off the double-team. Well, now there is no one to double, and the team speed is so high that open shots have been a regular feature this season with defenses consistently out of position.

A lot of that against the Hokies had to do with what was working defensively at the start of the game to knock the hosts off-balance, but even once they started getting into offensive sets, it was a combination of outstanding ball movement and, maybe just as important, great effort to corral loose balls and rebounds.

This has been a program for the past 10 years that has focused its energies on creating points through its defense. With as tenacious of a defender as Jamari Wheeler is leading the way, it sets the tone for this whole group that seems to be running at full speed and creating enough disruption to keep opponents from doing what they want, opening up that offensive component.

The Wolverine: What is the strength of this team?

It’s speed and the diversity of scoring. Penn State has long been a program with a player or two that could get theirs, but really always had to rely on a consistent output to really feel like it had a chance to compete night in and night out.

At Virginia Tech, and as has been the case pretty frequently this season, another one of Penn State’s scorers just broke out for a big game, this time in the form of Izaiah Brockington. The reality with these guys is that Brockington, Myreon Jones, Seth Lundy and transfer guard Sam Sessoms could all go off for 20 on any given night. Shooter Myles Dread is a little less of a threat to hit 20, but he’s usually good for double-digits, and Wheeler and John Harrar have developed enough offensively that they’re threats as well.

Are they always going to have the type of offensive firepower they showed at Virginia Tech? At 50 percent shooting from the floor with 12 of 23 in from deep, it’s unlikely, but by limiting turnovers, creating on defense, and continuing to move the ball, opponents are going to have to keep up with Penn State’s scoring.

The Wolverine: Penn State wins this game if ______.

Bauer: .… it does all of the things I just described. Play defense to their best capability, don’t get stuck in the mud offensively, and hit open shots.

It’s not the most complex formula, and Penn State is going to have off nights where it’s not all clicking, but there is enough diversity to its avenues to success on both ends of the floor that it’s going to be a competitive team this season.

If Michigan can knock them out of that flow, and especially can limit the effectiveness of Penn State’s transition game by making shots, the opposite will be true.

The Wolverine: Score prediction and how you think the game will go.

Bauer: Honestly, I have no idea what to expect from Michigan, so it’s kind of difficult for me to say. I would expect Penn State to get into the 70s barring a bad shooting night, so it’s just a question of whether or not they can limit what Michigan is going to do on that end. I see the scoring numbers, but just based on the opponents, I don’t have a feel for what that means for Michigan so far this season.

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