March 3, 2007
Columbia, Mo. - The third-ranked Missouri wrestling team advanced four wrestlers to the finals of the Big 12 Championships in the morning session held in the Hearnes Center. Competing in front of 2,633 fans, Missouri sits in third place with 35.5 points behind second-ranked Iowa State (44) and No. 4 Oklahoma State (41).
Junior All-American Tyler McCormick (Leawood, Kan.) became the first Tiger to advance to the finals at 133 pounds. Senior two-time Big 12 Champion Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) followed suit with sophomore Raymond Jordan (New Bern, N.C) and redshirt freshman Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) also taking wins in the 174, 184 and 197 pound semi-finals, respectively. The championship finals will begin at 7 p.m. (CT).
After suffering wrestle-in losses by redshirt freshman John Olanowski (Virginia Beach, Va.) and true freshman Ashtin Primus (South Connelsville, Pa.) at 125 and 141 pounds, respectively, McCormick warmed up in the tunnel for his turn at the mat. Wrestling third-seeded Nick Gallick of Iowa State, McCormick recorded his third shutout of the season, 7-0, advancing to his second career Big 12 finals appearance. McCormick put Gallick on his back in the first period earning a three-point nearfall call at the buzzer. Scoreless through the second period, McCormick took down Gallick at the start of the third for the win.
Tangling with Grant Turner of Iowa State for the second time of the season, Askren pinned the Cyclone in 1:47 for his 26th fall of the season, a new Missouri single-season record. In addition, the win extended Askren's streak to 80 straight victories. After taking down Turner in 1:01, Askren was able to lock up a cradle and put his opponent on his back for the win by fall.
Entering the tournament as the No. 1 seed at 184 pounds, Jordan took on Josh Hinton of Oklahoma in the semi-finals. Hinton won his wrestle-in match over Levi Wofford (Nebraska) by a score of 4-3 to advance to the semi's. The second meeting of the season between the two grapplers, Jordan closed out the match in 6:14 with a 20-4 technical fall, his second tech fall victory of the campaign. Recording six takedowns and awarded four points for Hinton's continual stalling, Jordan put the Sooner on his back for a five-count, in the first period and allowed Hinton his four points through escapes.
In a rematch many fans were waiting for, Maxwell Askren rebounded from his regular season loss to Iowa State's Kurt Backes, outscoring the Cyclone, 8-7, on riding time. The two entered the second period tied at two and Askren, who chose down, escaped and managed a takedown for a one point advantage. Backes, managed a reversal to keep within one of the second-ranked wrestler. In the end, Askren was able to tack on 2:35 of riding time to send the Cyclone to the consolation bracket.
Missouri's final match of the morning session came at heavyweight. Redshirt freshman Mark Ellis (Peculiar, Mo.) dropped a 4-0 loss to second-seeded Jared Rosholt of Oklahoma State.
Session two, which includes the third place match, consolations and finals will begin at 4 p.m. Live results are available on line at www.mutigers.com
Missouri Results 125 Pounds Wrestle-In: Tyler Shinn (Oklahoma State) decision John Olanowski (MU):5-1
133 Pounds Semi-Finals: Tyler McCormick (MU) decision Nate Gallick (ISU): 7-0
141 Pounds Wrestle-In: Kyle Terry (OU) decision Ashtin Primus (MU): 7-0
149 Pounds Semi-Finals: Cyler Sanderson (ISU) decision Josh Wagner (MU): 10-9
157 Pounds Semi-Finals: Chris Oliver (NU) decision Michael Chandler (MU): 3-2
165 Pounds Semi-Finals: Travis Paulson (ISU): decision Matt Pell (MU): 10-3
174 Pounds Semi-Finals: Ben Askren (MU) fall Grant Turner (ISU): 1:47
184 Pounds Semi-Finals: Raymond Jordan (MU) technical fall Josh Hinton (OU): 19-4
197 Pounds Semi-Finals: Maxwell Askren (MU) decision Kurt Backes (ISU): 8-7
HWT Semi-Finals: Jared Rosholt (OSU) decision Mark Ellis (MU): 4-0