March 18, 2006

Oklahoma City, Okla. - One Tiger wrestler remains in competition after Saturday's morning session, with unseeded sophomore Tyler McCormick (Leawood, Kan.) taking seventh place at 133 pounds after achieving All-American status Friday night. Top-seeded junior Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) will wrestle for Missouri's first individual wrestling national championship tonight at 6:30 p.m.

Squaring off against No. 8 Matt Keller of Chattanooga for the third time this season, McCormick opened the bout with a first-minute takedown, but Keller was able to score on a reversal to tie the score, 2-2, 30 seconds later. McCormick kicked out of Keller's hold for an escape, then immediately took Keller down in a scramble for a 5-2 lead, only to have Keller complete another reversal before the end of the first three minutes.

With both wrestlers strong from the top position, McCormick established two minutes of riding time in a scoreless second frame, trying to turn him to his back. Keller then erased the riding-time advantage, but a last-second escape for McCormick sealed the seventh-place finish, 6-4.

The NCAA Finals can be seen live on ESPN tonight, with coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. Askren, undefeated at 44-0 this season and a two-time NCAA runner-up, will take on No. 2 seed Jake Herbert of Northwestern in the 174-pound bout.

7th-Place Match
133 - Tyler McCormick (MU) dec. No. 8 Matt Keller (UTC): 6-4

Updated Records: Season (Career) 133 - Tyler McCormick: 31-9 (51-23)