Jan. 26, 2003
NORMAN, Okla. -
The 20th-ranked Missouri wrestling team upset the third-ranked Oklahoma Sooners (11-5, 1-3 Big 12), 25-20 in a conference dual meet at the Howard McCasland Field House in Norman, Oklahoma. The win for the Tigers (10-5, 1-1 Big 12) gave Head Coach Brian Smith his 50th dual victory as Tiger head coach, he is only the fourth Tiger wrestling coach with 50 dual wins. The win also gave Smith his first victory over former mentor and close friend Jack Spates, the Sooners Head Coach.
Senior Mark Bader battled No. 7 Bo Maynes in the first match of the night, but eventually lost the 125-pound bout by decision, 4-1. In the 133-pound match Chris McCormick had a difficult time against All-American and fourth-ranked Witt Durden and lost by technical fall, 23-8.
The Tigers sent out 11th-ranked J.P. Reese to take on No. 1 Teyon Ware in the 141-pound bout. Ware defeated Reese, 8-3. The win gave the Sooners a 11-0 lead going into the middle weight classes.
Jeremy Spates (No. 8) used five takedowns to record a major decision over Danny Rubenstein, 16-5 in the 149-pound bout. The win cut the lead 11-4 with six matches left. In the 157-pound match 11th-ranked Kenny Burleson recorded his team-leading 26th win with a 3-1 decision over Rafael Maturino. Seventh-ranked Tyron Woodley pinned Wes Roberts in the 165-pound bout in 2:47. The three wins gave the Tigers a 13-11 lead.
The Sooners regained the lead, 17-13, when All-American and third-ranked Robbie Waller pinned Matt Turner in the 174-pound bout. The Tigers answered back with a win of their own. Tiger All-American and fourth-ranked Scott Barker pinned Derrick Brown in the 184-pound match in 1:29. The pin gave the Tigers the lead back, 19-17.
The 197-pound bout featured two top-15 wrestlers. No. 15 Dante Stone took on the Sooners 14th-ranked Tom Grossman. Grossman held on for the 7-4 win, giving the Sooners the lead once again, 20-19, heading into the final bout.
Senior Kevin Herron, the 15th-ranked heavyweight, made quick work of Jake Hager and pinned him in :56 seconds to secure the Tiger win, 25-20. The pin added to Herron's career pin record of 39 pins, including a Big 12 and team leading 15 pins this season.
The Tigers return home to take on Big 12 rival and 12th-ranked Nebraska in a conference dual meet in the Hearnes Arena on Friday, Jan. 31 at 7:00 p.m.
NOTES FROM THE MAT: The victory over the third-ranked Sooners was the highest ranked opponent that Coach Smith has had a win against as coach of the Tigers...Sooner Head Coach is the father of Tiger wrestler Jeremy Spates...Tiger Head Coach Brian Smith served as an assistant coach for Jack Spates while at Cornell University...The victory was the first victory over Oklahoma since the 1994 season, when the Tigers won 20-19. The Sooners still lead the overall series, 38-3.