Wisconsin forward Alando Tucker blew by Wesley Matthews en route to the basket with less than two minutes remaining in last season's Dec. 7 match-up. It was neither the first, nor the last time Tucker scored that day at the expense of Matthews' pride, but that basket was especially painful considering the comeback Marquette was engineering.

Prior to Tucker's bucket, Jerel McNeal had scored eight-straight points, and the Golden Eagles had cut a 10-point deficit to two with 1:43 to go. The Badgers, led by Tucker's game-high 28 points, went on to win 70-66.

"I just didn't do my job," Matthews said then. "He hurt me. He hurt the team. He had a great night."

Over the 11 months that have followed, Matthews has worked to develop the defensive skill and acuity necessary to shut down players such as Tucker, players who Matthews routinely is matched up against.

"I think with Wes, more than anything, it's just a mindset," McNeal said. "He's just got to get that mindset where coming into a one-on-one situation, either the guy that's guarding him can't stick him, can't hold him, or the fact that the guy he's sticking is not going to do anything."

Matthews's physical abilities have never been in question. McNeal said Matthews, at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, is the most athletic player on the Marquette roster and is one of the team's strongest members.

Head coach Tom Crean acknowledged that Matthews often was lined up to guard bigger match-ups last season and said players will switch more frequently on defense this year.

That does not mean, though, that the responsibilities or expectations placed on Matthews in regards to his defense will be any lower.

"You wouldn't find a coach or a player in this league who wants to be matched up with (McNeal) in a one-on-one situation. I think you'd say the same thing about (junior guard) Dominic (James)," Crean said. "And I think in due time, you'll say the same thing about Wes. He's not quite where those guys are at, but he's building in that direction."

The manner in which Matthews is building has caught the attention of some of his more accolade-prone teammates. James said he believes Matthews has the largest potential out of all the Golden Eagles and that Matthews' perfectionist personality will help him reach that potential.

Not only is Matthews never late for anything, James said, he makes sure everyone else is on time as well.

"I feel like that type of commitment shows a lot about his character and his integrity," James said.

It seems the only area in which Matthews has been a late arrival is national attention. James was named an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American last season, in addition to being a Big East all-conference first team selection. McNeal was chosen the Big East defensive player of the year and was named to the all-conference second team.

Matthews, on the other hand, finished third on the team in scoring (12.6 points per game) and second in rebounding (5.3 per game) but nowhere on the radar screen of national media syndicates.

"He shows (his potential) at times, but now it's time for him to really break out of that shell," James said. "Now it's time for him to be on that national level."

While recognition may not begin or end with defense, Matthews understands his ability to guard certainly fills up much of the middle.

"I just want to be that lock-up defender," he said. "You're 6-8, 6-1, 5-9, it doesn't matter who you are. If I'm guarding you, I want to be able to take you out of the play."

But "want to" and "know how" are separate entities from the attitude necessary to perform the task dominantly.

McNeal and James both said they challenge Matthews on a daily basis to improve on both ends of the court, but their input only goes so far.

"We can help push him in that direction," McNeal said. "But at the end of the day, it's going to be him that takes that last step and decides that he's going to step up and be that type of big-time player."