Mizzou Wrestling Thrashed by No. 5 Oklahoma State

No. 17 Tiger Style didn’t have the homecoming it was hoping for against No. 5 Oklahoma State. The Cowboys rode into Hearnes Center and handed Mizzou a 33-3 whooping in Big 12 play.

“I think that wasn’t our best showing, but that’s a really good team,” head coach Brian Smith said. “We didn’t score takedowns. We scored one takedown the whole match, and that’s not gonna win you many matches.”

No. 3 Aeoden Sinclair was the only victor for the Tigers despite multiple matches ending in decisions. The stark differences between the front half of the lineup and the back half continue to shine through against tougher competition.

All rankings are according to InterMat.

125

No. 25 R-FR Mack Mauger defeated by No. 7 R-JR Troy Spratley via major decision 19-5

Mauger and Spratley battled evenly through the first period until Spratley made a successful takedown to take a 3-0 lead into the second period. Mizzou’s problems starting on bottom were apparent from the start of the dual as Mauger allowed a quick escape into a takedown.

Spratley’s lead only grew after making three takedowns in the third period alone, a major disparity compared to the Tigers’ lone takedown as a team in the dual.

133

No. 26 SO Gage Walker defeated by No. 14 FR Jax Forrest via tech fall 16-1

There were multiple shot attempts by both wrestlers, but Forrest’s were landing at a much higher clip. Forrest scored two takedowns and a four-point near fall through the first period.

Forrest started on bottom in the second period and escaped immediately into a takedown for the tech.

141

R-JR Easton Hilton defeated by No. 2 FR Sergio Vega via fall

Hilton went for Vega’s legs early in the first period, and the two stalemated on the mat until a break. Hilton went for another leg moments later, but Vega was effective in the scramble, getting a cradle into the pin.

149

FR Seth Mendoza defeated by No. 12 R-JR Casey Swiderski via decision 5-3

The true freshman continues to show promise for what he could bring to Mizzou in the future. He’s an aggressive attacker on offense, and he played good defense until Swiderski made a takedown with seven seconds left in the first period.

Mendoza battled on top to begin the second period, but Swiderski got free for an escape point, which was the only point scored between the two in the frame. He showed good escapability from the bottom position in the third period and was awarded two points for stalling on Swiderski, but could not find any offense in the last minute.

157

No. 15 Teague Travis defeated by No. 6 FR Landon Robideau via decision 5-0

This was a marquee matchup as Travis was facing off against his former team, but Robideau stuck on the Big 12 veteran like a moth to a flame. Robideau earned a takedown in the last seven seconds to take a 3-0 lead in the first period.

Run time reached over one minute for Robideau in the second period. He then got Travis into an arm bar that stalemated until the end of the second period. Travis was eager to get a takedown in the third, but Robideau was only trying to protect his lead and did exactly that to spoil the former Cowboys’ night.

165

R-JR J Conway defeated by No. 2 FR LaDarion Lockett via decision 4-2

Conway went to the headlock early on in the first period against Lockett, which stalemated the match for much of the frame. Lockett made a takedown on a reshot after a failed shot attempt from Conway, which the Tiger then escaped from to make the score 3-1 going into the second period.

Each wrestler earned their respective escape points when starting in down position, but that would be the only scoring in the second and third period combined.

174

No. 10 R-JR Cam Steed defeated by No. 7 R-JR Alex Facundo via decision 2-1

The match was played around the edge of the mat a fair amount due to Facundo’s defense on Steed’s aggressive play style. Steed went to the underhook as the first period was coming to a close, but Facundo released from the hold to make the bout scoreless going into the second period.

Facundo scored his escape point, but there was no other movement in the score due to multiple stalemates. Steed did the same, getting his escape point almost immediately in the third period, but Facundo was awarded a stalling point from Steed after an out-of-bounds, which sealed the match.

184

No. 3 R-FR Aeoden Sinclair over No. 8 R-FR Zack Ryder via decision 4-2

The first period began with some hand fighting between both wrestlers on their feet until Sinclair took the first shot that Ryder cleared. Ryder dodged another leg grab attempt from Sinclair to make the score 0-0 after one frame.

“I think (my faith) is the most important thing for me,” Sinclair said. “The before, the after doesn’t really matter, the now matters.”

Sinclair began the second period on bottom and escaped in 10 seconds, but none of his attempts at offense landed, giving him a one-point advantage into the final period. The lone Tiger takedown came at the beginning of the third, and although Ryder escaped and won riding time, Sinclair’s defense was enough to win the match.

197

No. 12 R-SR Evan Bates over No. 7 R-FR Cody Merrill via decision 4-0

The pace of the match slowed in the first period as both wrestlers sized each other up in a scoreless round. Merrill escaped quickly from down position in the second period, and the remainder of the period was largely played on feet, making the score 1-0.

Bates couldn’t earn an escape point in the third as he struggled to get out of Merrill’s hold, and he was often on the edge of the mat, which made it hard to create pressure.

285

No. 26 R-SO Jarrett Stoner defeated by No. 6 R-SR Konner Doucet via decision 5-1

Despite the loss, this was one of Stoner’s best performances of the season. After earning a takedown with under a minute to play in the first, Doucet didn’t have much going on offense, but neither did Stoner.

Each wrestler earned their escape point in the final two periods, and Stoner forced Doucet to some stalls, but none of them led to points. Stoner didn’t give up on the match like he seems to have on occasion this season, but his shots just weren’t landing in the third, leading to a manageable defeat.

The dual score didn’t show the strong fight that Mizzou put up, but its overall lack of takedown power was the most concerning takeaway from the matchup.

The Tigers will remain at Hearnes Center for their next conference matchup against Northern Colorado on Sunday afternoon (weather willing). The Bears are 1-1 in Big 12 play and present a good opportunity for a bounce-back.