"It feels good to win," head coach Mark Cody said. "I think our preparation at some weights wasn't as good as others. Our team has to realize that everybody in the wrestling room is getting the same coaching. It comes down to whether or not they are going to come out here and apply it or not."
The dual started with the Sooners jumping out to an early 6-0 lead after OU's third-ranked Jarrod Patterson won by forfeit as Missouri's Alan Waters, ranked No. 5, was unable to wrestle due to an injury.
Missouri closed OU's lead, 6-3, after MU's 14th-ranked Nathan McCormick narrowly defeated Oklahoma's No. 11-ranked Jordan Keller, 2-1. The only scoring of the match came in the first period when McCormick earned a takedown, which Keller quickly escaped from. Both wrestlers rode out their opponents in the second and third periods.
Kendric Maple, ranked No. 8 among 141-pounders, extended OU's lead after his dominating performance over Missouri's Brandon Weist. The Wichita, Kan., native earned five takedowns, a near fall and 3:31 of riding time to claim the 15-3 major decision victory.
Leading 10-3, OU's Nick Lester took the 133 pound match against the Tigers' Kyle Bradley, 1-0. Lester, ranked No. 14, scored the only point of the night after he earned an escape with 0:43 remaining in the third period against the nation's 11th-ranked wrestler.
In the 157 pound bout, OU's Matt Lester defeated Missouri's Drake Houdasheit, 5-2. After a scoreless first and second period, the Sooners' 12th-ranked wrestler started the third with a quick escape and takedown to lead 3-0. Houdasheit earned a reversal, but Lester finished with 2:06 of riding time.
The Tigers clawed out a win in the 165 bout as 13th-ranked Zach Toal proved too much for OU's Bubby Graham. In the first, Toal earned a takedown and Graham answered with an escape. Toal added to his lead in the second with an escape and takedown. Trailing 1-5 in the third, Graham tallied two escapes, but Toal added a takedown and riding time run away with the match.
Despite being outweighed by nearly six pounds in the 174 pound bout, OU's Chase Nelson held his own against Missouri's sixth-ranked Dorian Henderson. Nelson opened the bout with a takedown, but fell behind 3-2 heading into the second where he gave up a reversal. In the third, Nelson fought to get an escape and takedown but Henderson countered with a takedown and 1:03 riding time to earn the 8-5 win.
"We came up with that plan [to move Nelson up to 174] yesterday and we asked if he would go up to 174," Cody explained. "He didn't even flinch about moving up and [Nolan] McBryde was the same way. I'm really proud of both those guys for stepping up to the challenge tonight."
The Sooners Erich Schmidtke got OU back on the winning track with a 6-4 victory by decision over MU's Mike Larson. With the match tied 3-3 going into the third period 18th-ranked Schmidtke earned a quick escape and takedown to take the 184 pound match.
Due to a one-match suspension being served by Keldrick Hall OU forfeited the 197 pound bout, giving MU's Brent Haynes credit with the win.
OU lead 19-15 going into the heavyweight showdown between OU's Elijah Madison and the Tigers' Devin Mellon. The match was tied, 3-3, at the end of regulation. In the second sudden-victory overtime Mellon had a takedown to give Missouri its final three team points.
"Tonight some of the guys had a little bit too much on their mind," Cody said. "We had a few guys watching the clock and some were not focused. The few guys that lost were not as focused as they needed to be, but we got the win."
Next up, the Sooners continue Big 12 action when they travel to Ames, Iowa, to take on the 23rd-ranked Iowa State Cyclones on Sunday, Nov. 27.
Results:
125 - Jarrod Patterson (OU) winner by forfeit
133 - Nathan McCormick (MU) dec. Jordan Keller (OU), 2-1
141 - Kendric Maple (OU) MD. Brandon Weist (MU), 15-3
149 - Nick Lester (OU) dec. Kyle Bradley (MU), 1-0
157 - Matt Lester (OU) dec. Drake Houdasheit (MU), 5-2
165 - Zach Toal (MU) dec. Bubby Graham (OU), 8-3
174 - Dorian Henderson (MU) dec. Chase Nelson (OU), 8-5
184 - Erich Schmidtke (OU) dec. Mike Larson (MU), 6-4
197 - Brent Haynes (MU) winner by forfeit
285 - Devin Mellon (MU) dec. Elijah Madison (OU), 6-4
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