University of Missouri
Illinois
No. 11 Wrestling Drops Close Match to No. 9 Illinois, 21-16
11/24/2025 9:05:00 PM | Wrestling
COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 11 Mizzou wrestling dropped a closely-contested ranked dual to No. 9 Illinois, 21-16, on Monday night in Hearnes Center. The Tigers moved to 5-4 on the season in dual action while Illinois improved to 5-2 overall.
At 125 pounds, 25th-ranked redshirt freshman Mack Mauger opened up the dual with an upset win over Illinois' No. 22 Spencer Moore. Mauger sealed the deal with a late escape and stall point before securing a takedown in sudden victory. Kade Moore put out a high-flying effort en route to a 7-0 lead over Illinois' top-ranked and defending national champion Lucas Byrd before ultimately losing a thriller, 12-9, at 133 pounds. Following a ranked defeat at 141 pounds, redshirt senior Josh Edmond got the Tigers back on track with a win at 149 pounds to tie the dual at six points apiece. Illinois picked up a decision at 157 pounds to put Mizzou back at a 9-6 deficit at the halfway point.
Missouri dropped the first two bouts out of the break, both by major decision to ranked Illinois opponents. No. 2 Aeoden Sinclair established a dominant presence early on, posing three takedowns before an injury default at the 2:01 mark. Senior Evan Bates kept up the momentum at 197 pounds, securing a 14-6 major decision to draw Mizzou within one point of Illinois (17-16) heading into the final bout. At 285 pounds, Jarrett Stoner put up a valiant effort before ultimately falling short to Illinois' ninth-ranked Luke Luffman by major decision.
MATCH NOTES
- With the loss, Missouri's all-time record against Illinois moves to 16-22, and 6-8 under head coach Brian Smith.
- The repeat meeting makes the 2025-26 season the first in which Mizzou and Illinois wrestled multiple times in a season.
- Tonight's matchup marks the first meeting between Missouri and Illinois to be held in Hearnes Center since November 12, 2009, an 18-16 win for the Tigers.
- Only three of the duals' ten matches were repeated matchups from the match at the National Duals Invitational last week, being 125lbs, 133lbs, and 184lbs.
- Moore's bout at 133 pounds marked the third against Byrd of his career, with tonight's result being the first to end in a regular decision.
- True freshmen Dominic Bambinelli and Danny Heiser made their dual debuts for Missouri in consecutive bouts at 165 and 174 pounds.
- Sinclair's injury default win at 184 pounds marked his eighth bonus-point win of the season.
- Bates' major decision victory kept him in control of the team lead for most bonus point victories on the season with nine.
UP NEXT
Mizzou begins its next two months on the road with Journeymen Wrestling's Hustle In The Heartland on Friday, Dec. 5, in St. Charles, Missouri. Wrestling takes place at Francis Howell High School and can be streamed on FloWrestling. Mizzou will wrestle Long Island University at 6 p.m. CT, and No. 5 Nebraska at 8 p.m. CT.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
Visit MUTigers.com for the latest information on all things Mizzou Wrestling. You can also find the Tigers on social media by liking us on Facebook (Mizzou Wrestling) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@MizzouWrestling).
FULL RESULTS
No. 11 Missouri, 16 | No. 9 Illinois, 17
125 | [25] Mack Mauger (MIZ) over [22] Spencer Moore (ILL) by decision, 5-2 SV1
133 | [1] Lucas Byrd (ILL) over [20] Kade Moore (MIZ) by decision, 12-9
141 | [15] Danny Pucino (ILL) over [20] Zeke Seltzer (MIZ) by decision, 12-6
149 | [14] Josh Edmond (MIZ) over Will Baysingar (ILL) by decision, 6-2
157 | [7] Kannon Webster (ILL) over [20] J Conway (MIZ) by decision, 4-1
165 | [8] Braeden Scoles (ILL) over Dominic Bambinelli (MIZ) by major decision, 18-4
174 | [21] Colin Kelly (ILL) over Danny Heiser (MIZ) by major decision, 11-2
184 | [2] Aeoden Sinclair (MIZ) over [22] Chris Moore (ILL) by injury default, 2:01
197 | [17] Evan Bates (MIZ) over Cade Lautt (ILL) by major decision, 14-6
285 | [9] Luke Luffman (ILL) over [25] Jarrett Stoner (MIZ) by major decision, 13-3
*Rankings via InterMat
Players Mentioned
