Instead of rockin' around the Christmas tree and ringing in the new year in Times Square, the Penn State women's basketball team spent its holiday taking care of a little business.

The Lady Lions played seven games over the semester break, winning six. The sole loss came Sunday as No. 13 Penn State (11-4, 3-1 Big Ten) fell 75-71 to host Illinois.

As in each of the Lions' other three losses this season, an imbalance in the backcourt proved to be the difference. Penn State committed 23 turnovers against the Illini, with 10 of those errors coming from the Lions' point guard tandem of junior Katrena Carr and sophomore Ashley Luke. As Sunday's game showed, Penn State can only go as far as its guards will take it, Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland said.

"Any time their guards outscore our guards and any time we commit 10 turnovers at the guard position we take a loss," she said.

Granted, the Lions did go up against one of the nation's premier backcourts in Illinois' junior Allison Curtin and sophomore Shavonna Hunter on Sunday. The duo combined for 37 points and was the top contributing factor in the Illini's win.

However, the Penn State backcourt has seen its share of ups and downs all year. Although freshman Kelly Mazzante has been a pleasant surprise, leading the team in scoring at an 18 points per game clip, the struggles of Carr and Luke have held the team back at times, and go-to senior guard Lisa Shepherd has gotten off to a sluggish start in conference play.

Portland added that Penn State's inside players, led by senior Maren Walseth and junior Rashana Barnes, have performed well, but could use a hand from their backcourt mates.

Carr agreed that taking better care of the basketball will be the No. 1 priority when the Lions take the floor against Michigan tomorrow night in Ann Arbor.

"Turnovers have hurt us the most," she said. "We have to take care of the ball better next game, and every game. That's a weakness we have right now."

Carr added that the best remedy for the Lions' recent turnover ills lies between their ears.

"We have to be ready to play before the game starts," she said. "Sometimes (during the Illinois game) I got rid of the ball too early. I should have held onto it a little longer. Or just do a better job of stepping to the ball, or running the plays a little better — things like that."

Penn State will have to stress those fundamentals as it looks to get back on the winning track tomorrow night. The Wolverines have struggled in the early part of the Big Ten season, but senior guard Anne Thorius, who Portland called a perennial thorn in the Lions' sides, is averaging 1.7 steals per game and will be looking to challenge Penn State's point players.