Turnovers are a double-edged sword for the Michigan women's basketball team. On one hand, turnovers are a valuable weapon that can lead to easy layups and momentum changers. On the other hand, turnovers can also be costly mistakes that open up scoring opportunities for opponents.

In Monday's win over Purdue Fort Wayne, the Wolverines caused 15 turnovers, including six steals, seven dropped passes and two 10-second violations. Those turnovers led to 12 points for Michigan and helped them build a comfortable lead.

However, the Wolverines had 13 turnovers of their own, which gave Purdue Fort Wayne nine points. If Michigan is going to be successful in the Big Ten, they will need to improve in this area as they may face more pressure from their opponents.

"Thirteen (turnovers) is something we can live with," Michigan head coach Kim Barnes-Arico said." If we have 13 turnovers against Ohio State, then we're in good shape.

Barnes-Arico realizes the importance of limiting turnovers, and she has noticed that the team's turnovers have decreased from previous seasons.

"When I was here," Barnes-Arico said, "we had a lot more turnovers than we do now, so it's not terrible." You can almost accept that number. But obviously, even after the exhibition game, we need to improve in that area, like dealing with pressure and making decisions."

If the Wolverines want to be a contender in the Big Ten, they'll need to find a way to maintain the intensity of their offense while not committing turnovers. That will be a key challenge for the team, especially if they add two freshman guards to the lineup.