University of Missouri
Oklahoma
Missouri Closes Regular Season With Win over Oklahoma
2/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Feb. 22, 2004
Columbia, Mo. - The fifth-ranked Missouri wrestling team closed its regular season at home with a 21-15 victory over seventh-ranked Oklahoma. Marking the first time any Big 12 school has claimed a win over both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State wrestling programs in the same year, Missouri took wins at six of the 10 weight classes in the noon dual.
"Today's win was great," head coach Brian Smith said. "It's nice to get a win over a Big 12 opponent, especially one that's as strong as Oklahoma. They're a good team so this win really means a lot. I'm glad we were able to do it in front of such a great crowd."
Honoring Missouri's five seniors at the start of the dual, a record-setting 1,324 fans showed their appreciation for the hard work and determination set forth by the fifth-ranked team.
Junior All-American Tyron Woodley, ranked 10th in the nation, opened the dual with an 8-4 decision over 165 pound Charles Jones. Landing three takedowns and an escape, with one point given for riding time, Woodley brought Missouri's first team points to the board, 3-0.
Up next on the mat was redshirt freshman fifth-ranked Ben Askren at 174 pounds. Wrestling against Randy Sulaver, Askren took his second consecutive technical fall, recording 17 points to Sulavar's two in 4:30. Askren found exactly what he needed to put Sulavar on his back, earning three, three point nearfalls with two takedowns and a reversal bringing his total points to 17.
Twelfth-ranked 184 pound redshirt freshman Matt Pell met eighth ranked Justin Dyer in Missouri's center circle. With an 8-3 final score, the Big 12 Conference competitors went scoreless through the first period, with Pell taking the first points by two-point reversal. Following with a three-point nearfall, Dyer was only able to make one escape. Entering the third period with a 5-1 lead, Pell scored his first takedown of the match and earned riding time, while Dyer was only able to score two more escapes.
Sophomore Jeff Foust (ranked 16th in the nation) won his third Big 12 match of the season, knocking off Joel Tapler in a 10-1 major decision. Foust opened the first period with a takedown and three point nearfall followed with a takedown and reversal in the second and third periods, respectively. With two consecutive cautions given to Tapler, Foust added four team points to Missouri's total.
Senior heavyweight Mike Whitehead (ranked 11th in the nation) dropped his seventh match of the season in a 2-0 decision to Oklahoma's fourth-ranked Leonce Crump. A close match, Whitehead and Crump were scoreless in both the first and third period, with Crump taking an escape in the second period and one point for riding time.
Wrestling at 125 pounds, sophomore Austin DeVoe fell victim to Sam Hazewinkel in a 5-4 decision that saw Hazewinkel win with 3:41 of riding time. DeVoe managed to tie the score at four taking an escape with two seconds left on the clock. Unable to get a final takedown, Hazewinkel walked away with the win.
True freshman Brett Watkins returned to Missouri's starting lineup at 133 pounds. Pairing with 15th-ranked Demitrius (Mimi) Miller, Watkins took five escapes to Miller's three takedowns and one reversal, bringing the final score to 11-5.
Missouri's career-falls leader senior J.P. Reese held his third opponent of the season scoreless in a 7-0 decision over Oklahoma's Shane Kid. Scoring two takedowns and two escapes, Reese made the match look effortless earning a major decision and four MU team points.
The final match of the afternoon came at 157 pounds with fifth-ranked Neosho, Mo., native Kenny Burleson wrestling for Missouri and Rafael Maturino wrestling for Oklahoma. The final score showed Burleson the winner of a 10-4 decision, earned with three takedowns, a reversal and one point awarded for a technical violation against Maturino.
Breaking the record setting attendance of last season's senior night against the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (1,268), 1,324 fans were in attendance for the Tiger's regular season closer.
Missouri will spend the next two weeks preparing for the Big 12 Conference Championships Saturday, March 6, in Ames, Iowa. Home of the Iowa State Cyclones, the all-day tournament will be held in Hilton Coliseum.
Weight-Wrestler over Wrestler: Result Team Points 125 Sam Hazewinkel (OU) dec. Austin DeVoe (MU): 5-4 MU 15 OU 6 133 Mimi Miller (OU) dec. Brett Watkins (MU): 11-5 MU 15 OU 9 141 J.P. Reese (MU) vs Shane Kid (OU) MU 18 OU 9 149 Jeff Ecklof (OU) forfeit MU 18 OU 15 157 Kenny Burleson (MU) vs Rafael Maturino (OU): MU 21 OU 15 165 Tyron Woodley (MU) dec Charles Jones (OU):8-4 MU 3 OU 0 174 Ben Askren (MU) tech fall Randy Sulaver (OU): 4:30, 17-2 MU 8 OU 0 184 Matt Pell (MU) dec. Justin Dyer (OU): 8-3 MU 11 OU 0 197 Jeff Foust (MU) major dec. Joel Tapler (OU): 10-1 MU 15 OU 0 HWT Leonce Crump (OU) dec Mike Whitehead (MU): 2-0 MU 15 OU 3
