When the University of Wisconsin women's basketball team tipped off preseason practices in mid-October, UW coach Jane Albright said her Badgers needed to make strides in three areas to avoid a repeat of the up-and-down frustrations of the 1998-99 campaign.

First, the Badgers had to show more mental toughness on the road.

Second, UW had to start shooting better from the outside.

Finally, the Badgers had to learn to respect the basketball.

Nearly two months later, the UW has made strides in those first two areas. But for whatever reason, Albright hasn't been able to get across to her players the importance of securing the basketball.

Last year, Wisconsin was last in the Big Ten in turnovers per game at 20.8. Somehow, that number has skyrocketed this season. Following Sunday's 85-62 loss to Tennessee -- in which UW committed 28 turnovers -- the Badgers are averaging 24.7 per game.

"Tennessee killed us with a number of turnovers (on the press) where they just got the ball, turned around and scored,'' said Albright, whose Badgers (4-2) play Marquette (6-1) tonight at the Milwaukee Arena. "Not all the turnovers were like that. Some of them didn't kill us.

"But the turnovers that lead to points, those are the ones where we have to say you can't play if you do these kinds of things.''

Dee Dee Pate, Tamara Moore and Candas Smith -- all of whom have had stints at point guard this season -- have combined for 54 turnovers and just 37 assists. As the primary ballhandlers, the guards were the ones with the most problems against the press Sunday.

"That's been our concern since the beginning,'' Smith, a freshman from Madison West, said of turnovers. "We've been working on it, we just haven't capitalized on it. But I believe in our team and as hard as we practice, we're going to get through this and show everybody that we aren't the turnover team.''

This, however, is hardly a guards-only problem. The starting front line of LaTonya Sims, Jessie Stomski and Nina Smith has a whopping 65 turnovers to only 26 assists.

Albright, however, said she is most concerned with her backcourt. Among other things, the UW guards need to play under control and improve their decision-making.

"I think the biggest thing is making better decisions,'' said Candas Smith. "I think we're just so anxious and we see things that are there and sometimes we force it. Sometimes communication-wise, it isn't happening. We have to learn to not force it and make that extra pass if we need to.''

While Pate is still the starting point guard, Smith will continue to see more playing time. Sunday, Smith played a season-high 17 minutes.

Both have struggled to date. Smith had 3 points, 3 assists, 5 turnovers and 0 rebounds vs. UT. Pate, who played 20 minutes, had 0 points, 2 assists, 6 turnovers, 1 rebound and 1 steal against the Lady Vols.

"We're going to play based on performance now,'' Albright said of playing time at the point. "We talked to the guards a whole lot today about taking care of the ball better. We talked to them about individual responsibility. And whoever does that, we're going to play.''

Smith is slowly regaining her form after suffering severe facial injuries in a late-August auto accident. She didn't start practicing until Oct. 30.

"I don't think I'm back to where I want to be yet,'' said Smith. "I'm feeling more comfortable, but I'm still only about 80 percent.

"What I mean by that is I feel rusty with things like taking care of the ball, when should I shoot and when I shouldn't shoot. When to pass to the post. When I'm playing good, I usually don't think when I play, I just react. So in that way, I'm only about 80 percent of where I want to be.''

Tonight's game will be extra special to Smith, who verbally committed to Marquette a little over a year ago before changing her mind and signing with UW.

"I've never really discussed what happened with (Marquette coach) Terri (Mitchell),'' said Smith. "It was a gut feeling, and my grandma.''

Smith was raised my her grandmother, Meckelin Smith, in Madison.