There’s an old adage that says good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. Whether it be a public official or a lab rat, learning from your mistakes never comes the easy way; removing your hand from the stove doesn’t happen until you get burned.

The smoldering marks were apparent after the UW women’s basketball team exited the floor last March after being upset by Missouri in the first round of the NCAA tournament. For the third straight season, Badgerball had ended the season with a semi-sour taste in their mouths. There were the respectable accomplishments, such as WNIT championships and a second place finish in the Big Ten last year, but the ever present “what could have been” still persisted.

With their loss to Minnesota Sunday, reflecting on the 2002 season shows that the Badgers have turned those “what coulds” into “what is.” The 92-85 loss to the Gophers was UW’s first loss since Thanksgiving weekend, ending an amazing 13-game winning-streak that has propelled Wisconsin to a top five national ranking and the toast of women’s college basketball.

The cause for such a stellar season is rather simple — the women have finally grown up. It seemed odd hat that when the subject of Badgerball was brought up that “immature,” “enigmatic” and “erratic” were the adjectives that would come to mind. Jane Albright’s team had a troubling propensity for giving up leads, getting out-muscled and getting in trouble. Such poor traits have been reversed this year, and it’s been the trio of seniors Jessie Stomski, Tamara Moore and Kyle Black who have epitomized the new, mature Badgerball.

A look at the numbers, and it would without a doubt be difficult to find a better trio of players in all of college basketball. As of Sunday, the three tri-captains are combining for 50.4 points per game. Stomski, who is averaging 19 points per game, has also been a star on the boards, averaging nine rebounds a game, good for third in the Big Ten.

Black has also taken her game to a new level this year, as she has finally been able to find her stroke from the outside. She is shooting 41 percent from outside the arc and has become the safety net for Wisconsin late in the game, as she is hitting her free throws at an 86 percent clip.

But the real catalyst for the Badgers’ rise to national powerhouse has been Moore, who is having a season that may earn her a great deal of hardware at the end of the season. She is shooting 48 percent from the floor and has shown much more authority and reliability running the offense, as she has cut her turnovers down from last season. Moore is second in the conference in both steals and assists, and was named Big Ten Player of the Week last Monday.

The three have also done an excellent job of staying out of foul trouble, as they are combining for an average of 34 minutes per game, which has been invaluable for the amount of aggressiveness that Albright has been able to employ in the second half of most games.

The Badgers have also been able to avoid the injury bug, which will be key if they are to make a run the NCAA tournament. The only minor injuries throughout the year have been to forward Leah Hefte and true freshman Ebba Gebisa, who had been getting more and more minutes as the season progressed.

Albright has also utilized her bench effectively, as the Badgers have been able to develop a strong core of role players, an area that has lacked greatly the last couple of years, as Wisconsin has had a difficult time of finding its identity as a team until very late in the season.

The biggest difference has been inside the paint, as sophomore Emily Ashbaugh has been able to compliment Stomski on the offensive boards. Candas Smith has also provided a spark off the bench, as she is very effective at feeding the post.

Just a glance at a stat sheet, and it’s evident that the Badgers are a much more diversified team this season.

“In the past, we’ve always keyed on one thing,” said Moore. “It was either inside or outside, that was it. But this season we are a much more complete and experienced team.”

The main sign of maturity has been the way Albright’s team has been able to play catch-up. Three times this season the Badgers have overcome double-digit halftime deficits against above average competition. The most impressive of the year was at Michigan State on Jan. 10, as the Badgers erased a 14-point deficit with a 26-12 run to defeat the Spartans in double overtime. UW has also fought back from halftime deficits against Iowa and Drake, as they’ve been able to clamp down defensively with it’s back to the wall.

“I think any time you make mistakes in big games that you have an opportunity to get stronger,” said Albright, who is having her best year in eight seasons in Madison. “If you look at the most mature teams and the most mentally tough team, it was when they had seniors. We have seniors that have played about every minute since they’ve been in the conference.”

Although the arrival of Badgerball on the national scene has been a project in waiting, it may have not been expected after the departures from last year’s team. Gone are Nina Smith and LaTonya Sims, who, although they were the cornerstone of last year’s team, were often a detriment to the chemistry of the team with their erratic play.

The maturity has shown, and it should the rest of the season. Badgerball has finally learned to play within themselves, and it should translate into a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.