BADGERS EXCITED TO TIP OFF SEASON DESPITE A 20-POINT LOSS IN MONDAY'S EXHIBITION,

UW FEELS READY FOR TONIGHT'S SEASON OPENER.

Wisconsin State Journal

Nov 19, 1999

Dateline: LINCOLN, NEB.

After watching her team drop a 20-point decision to a strong Brazilian

club team Monday, University of Wisconsin women's basketball coach Jane

Albright said she was excited by what she saw.

That seemed a curious reaction at the time, but Albright had the long term

in mind. She said the Parana Club of Brazil would rival any of the top

teams on UW's schedule - Tennessee, Rutgers, Penn State and Illinois immediately

came to mind. The lessons learned from Monday's defeat will make the Badgers

work harder.

"I really think it was just what we needed, and we'll have some good film

to look at, and, hopefully, can get better when it really does matter,"

Albright said.

The Badgers' journey of high expectations begins today. UW opens the regular

season against Southern Illinois at 5:30 p.m. in the first game of the

Time Warner Cable Classic at the 13,500-seat Bob Devaney Sports Center

in Lincoln. Host Nebraska meets Georgia Southern tonight at 8:05. The consolation

game will be at 12:35 p.m. Sunday, followed by the championship at 3:05

p.m.

Wisconsin, 26th nationally among vote-getters, and No. 24 Nebraska will

be favored to advance to Sunday's final.

But Albright isn't taking Southern Illinois, which was 6-21 last season,

for granted, saying, "Anything can happen." After all, the Badgers were

3-11 in games away from home last season (including 1-2 on neutral courts).

"I don't care who we are playing," Albright said. "We've got to prove we

can win a road game."

That said, it would be a surprise if the two "Big Red" teams, Wisconsin

and Nebraska, don't advance. That potential matchup would serve as an excellent

early season gauge for the Badgers.

"Nebraska is a lot like we are," Albright said. "They are picked third

in a really tough conference (the Big 12). They have their two leading

scorers back. They are at home. If we end up playing Nebraska and we can

compete really well

it will be a great arena. They are going to have a lot of people there.

That will really be a big test for us. It would be like us going to Penn

State or Illinois or one of the upper-division Big Ten teams."

Albright said she thinks the UW players are getting more accustomed to

each other on the floor.

"For the beginning of the season, I think we are all on the same page,"

Badgers forward Jessie Stomski added. "We are playing with a lot of intensity.

By the end of the season, we will improve a lot, also. I think this season

will be good."

The Badgers have inside strength with Stomski and freshman center Nina

Smith. Forward LaTonya Sims, a first-team all-Big Ten performer last season,

figures to be a significant scorer.

Guards Dee Dee Pate, Kelley Paulus and Tamara Moore will be called on to

get the ball inside to the front-line players and hit the perimeter shot

to keep opponents from sagging on Stomski and Smith, who is working to

improve her positioning underneath.

"I think it's just me posting up more and being more physical," Smith said.

"I got a lot (of passes) tipped away (Monday) because of me not holding

the post. The passes were there.

It will all come. A lot of it is chemistry. I haven't played with some

of these girls before.

"I think we are perfect where we need to be, going into a long season,

where we have a lot of time to get team chemistry going and get a feel

for each other on the court."

The long season is about to begin. How long it lasts will depend on how

the Badgers address their deficiencies. UW will need to reduce turnovers,

play better defense and demonstrate the ability to win on the road and

in close games.

Albright said she's is raring to go.

"There is no doubt in the world. We are ready," Albright said.