University of Missouri
Arizona State
No. 5 @MizzouWrestling Travels to Tempe for Clash with Arizona State Friday
2/5/2019 1:52:00 PM | Wrestling
Top-20 matchups at 157, 165 and 174 highlight Friday’s dual
COLUMBIA, Mo. – After taking a weekend off from competition, fifth-ranked returns to action this Friday as it heads west to take on the Pac 12's Arizona State Friday at 8 p.m. (CT) in Tempe, Ariz. The dual will air live on the Pac 12 Network with Daron Sutton and Anthony Robles providing the commentary.
Mizzou is a perfect 14-0 during the 2018-19 season, including a 7-0 mark in MAC action, marking the fourth time in seven years that Mizzou has finished MAC action unblemished. Friday's dual, however, pits Mizzou against a Pac 12 rival in Arizona State. A win over the Sun Devils would improve Mizzou's win streak to 35 straight duals, a streak that dates back to the 2016-17 season. That streak will be put to the test Friday as Mizzou has never defeated Arizona State in four tries, trailing the all-time series 0-3-1.
The series with ASU dates back to 1988-89, a 34-9 win for the Devils over Wes Roper's Tigers. Current head coach Brian Smith has faced the Sun Devils three times, going 0-2-1. His first meeting against ASU was in 2002-03, a 19-17 loss at the National Duals. The two teams met twice during the 2005-06 season with Arizona State claiming a 24-21 win at the National Duals and then the two wrestled to a 21-21 tie later that season.
Arizona State is of course home to assistant coach Lee Pritts, who was an assistant under Mizzou Head Coach Smith from 1998-2004 and then again from 2007-10.
Friday's dual features three huge matchups, highlighted by a top-five showdown at 174 pounds. Mizzou senior No. 4 Daniel Lewis will face the nation's No. 2 wrestler in the class in Zahid Valencia. No. 15 Jarrett Jacques will wrestle No. 17 Christian Pagdialo at 157 and No. 14 Connor Flynn is set to face No. 4 Josh Shields at 165 pounds. Below is the complete projected lineups for each team.
Projected Lineups:
- 125 Pounds – Dack Punke (9-5) vs. Brandon Courtney
- 133 Pounds – #10 John Erneste (13-3) vs. Josh Kramer or Josiah Kline
- 141 Pounds – #3 Jaydin Eierman (17-3) vs. Cory Crooks
- 149 Pounds – #7 Brock Mauller (23-1) vs. Josh Maruca
- 157 Pounds – #15 Jarrett Jacques (21-5) vs. #17 Christian Pagdilao
- 165 Pounds – #14 Connor Flynn (16-4) vs. #4 Josh Shields
- 174 Pounds – #4 Daniel Lewis (18-1) vs. #2 Zahid Valencia
- 184 Pounds – Taylor Watkins (17-8) vs. Jacen Petersen
- 197 Pounds – Wyatt Koelling (16-7) vs. Austyn Harris
- 285 Pounds – Zach Elam (18-6) vs. Brady Daniel
*rankings via Intermat
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Players Mentioned
