She knows her freshman season on the women's basketball team was not indicative of what she can do.

The 5-foot-11 Moore set a UW freshman record with 80 steals in 1998-99, led the Badgers in steals and free-throw percentage and tied for the lead in assists.

But Moore, who was the 1998 Minnesota Player of the Year at Minneapolis North High School, wasn't satisfied. She said she rushed passes and made too many turnovers.

"My expectations for myself would not be to prove anybody wrong, but to show people why I was recruited to play Division I basketball," she said. "I think I really didn't show that last year."

Moore, putting last season in the past, started this season strong by scoring a game-high 20 points in the Badgers' 76-66 exhibition victory over Athletes in Action Tuesday at the Kohl Center. She had three assists, two of UW's 13 steals and three turnovers -- below her 4.5 turnover-per-game average last season.

Moore shot 7-for-8 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line despite suffering a scratched cornea in her right eye about 3 minutes into the game. That prompted her to wear goggles in practice afterward. But she expects the eye to be OK for the Badgers' exhibition against Parana of Brazil tonight at 7 at the UW Field House.

Moore, like many college players, came to UW after being a dominant high school player. She said she expected to play flawlessly as a freshman, but learned that was unrealistic when pitted against equally talented opponents. The college game was quicker and more physical. Moore had to protect the basketball better.

"Now, I understand that with a year under my belt," Moore said. "Now, I'm ready to play."

She is trying to relax more and to not force the issue so much. Moore said she is taking that approach after talking with Minnesota Timberwolves superstar forward Kevin Garnett this summer, while both were working on their games at a club inside the Target Center in Minneapolis.

"He motivated me to better myself and better my game," said Moore, indicating one way to do so would be to limit her fancy dribbling.

Moore feels more confident this season, something she said she lacked on the court and in the classroom in 1998-99.

"I didn't apply myself (in class) as much as I should have last year," said Moore, who had a 3.5 grade-point average in high school and now plans to switch from elementary education to Afro-American Studies at UW. "I wasn't at the level I knew I could be at."

To get to the level where she wants to be on the basketball court, Moore worked hard on shooting from the perimeter and taking care of the basketball.

"It's being smart with the ball," said Moore, who is adept at slashing to the basket. "Last year, I was really rushing with my passes. My focus is better. My timing is better."

Her defense already is solid due to her anticipation and quickness. In an era when many players think exclusively about offense, Moore thinks defense first.

"I love defense," said Moore, named to the WNIT all-tournament team last season. "Defense is what makes my offense go. I feel you'll be off sometimes on your offense, but defense will always be there for you."

Badgers coach Jane Albright said Moore provides the team with its defensive intensity.

"She's our best defensive player," Albright said.

Moore also is a versatile player, who will get a lot of minutes because she is being asked to play point guard, off-guard and small forward.

"We want to go far, but we want to take it one game at a time," Moore said. "We want to focus on the task at hand that day, that game. If we play as a team and get the chemistry we want, I feel like if we're going to do it, we've got to do it this year with all the talent we have. If we don't do it now, when are we going to do it?"