Marquette junior guard Krystal Ellis is enjoying her new role on the team. The unquestioned leader of a roster with six freshmen, she was expected to carry the team offensively this season.

But in an impressive 82-69 win Monday night against the Loyola Ramblers, Ellis was thrilled to see her teammates step up to the challenge.

While Ellis may not have to drop 20 points a game in order for the Golden Eagles to come out on top, the pressure to perform has not left her side. It has simply followed her to the other end of the court. The defensive end.

In this Saturday's game against Wisconsin, the most important statistic will undoubtedly be the point total for Badgers' senior guard Jolene Anderson.

Anderson had a career-high 37 points to go along with a game- high 12 rebounds in a 20-point blowout at Cleveland State on Friday.

"She plays every game like it's her last," said Badgers head coach Lisa Stone. "She will help lead our charge against a very good team."

As the 2007 Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year, Anderson is an offensive force to be reckoned with. Standing at 5-foot-8, she was the team's leading rebounder last season averaging seven per contest. She loves to shoot the three. But is not afraid to drive to the hoop, as witnessed by her 10 free throw attempts against Cleveland State.

"She's a constant thought," said Marquette head coach Terri Mitchell. "We can never let her out of view."

This will require several players including Ellis to shadow Anderson's every move defensively.

"She's a great player," Ellis said. "She can shoot, she can pull up, she can do it all. So we have to make sure we are all aware of her, not just one player because the whole team has to guard her."

Because Marquette is playing host to the Big East Volleyball Championships this weekend, the women's basketball team was forced out of the Al McGuire Center. The game against the Badgers will be played at the Bradley Center.

Marquette saw a record crowd of 4,000 – the Al McGuire Center's max capacity – last season against Connecticut. This has become the mark to beat for Mitchell who has issued a challenge to Marquette fans.

For every fan in attendance over that record 4,000 on Saturday, Mitchell plans to donate $1 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee.

Despite the relocation, Mitchell and her players don't consider playing a home game away from the team's usual home a disadvantage.

"It is a home game still," Ellis said. "It is different playing at the Bradley Center instead of the Al McGuire Center, but I like to see that we get more fans here to watch our games."

As for the scoring depth that Marquette displayed on Monday, Ellis sees that advantage leaning in their direction. While Jolene Anderson may be the most talented player on the court this Saturday, only one other Badger put up double digits in their season opener.

"Five people are going to have to guard us," Ellis said. "There is not one player on our team that is a weak link. If someone's not scoring someone else will be."