Iowa leads the all-time series 66-24-1. The Hawkeyes have won four straight over the Gophers, including a 28-12 victory earlier this season at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals on January 10.
The Hawkeyes come into tonight with a 20-0 dual meet record, while the Gophers sit at 11-4.
Below is a weight-by-weight breakdown of tonight's dual meet.
125: No. 4 Matt McDonough (Iowa) vs. No. 6 Zach Sanders (Minnesota)
The fact that McDonough is still undefeated (26-0) with only a month to go in his redshirt freshman season is a pretty clear indication that he is very tough to beat. He was a Midlands champion and has victories over seven ranked opponents this season, including three wins over No. 5 Andrew Long of Iowa State and a victory over Sanders. McDonough has picked up bonus points in five of his last seven matches. Sanders, a returning All-American, comes into tonight's match against McDonough with a 20-3 record. He has not competed since suffering an ankle injury on January 31 in his victory over Purdue true freshman Cashe Quiroga.
Bottom Line: This is a crucial match for both teams. McDonough is the slight favorite based on the fact that he is undefeated and has a victory over Sanders. Expect this to be a high-intensity, action-packed match that could go either way.
Prediction: Sanders (Minnesota) dec. McDonough (Iowa)
133: No. 3 Daniel Dennis (Iowa) vs. No. 1 Jayson Ness (Minnesota)
Ness, a three-time All-American, has been one of the most dominating wrestlers in the NCAA this season. The Gopher senior captain is 21-0 with 16 pins and ranked No. 1. Dennis, a returning All-American, has gone 16-1 this season, but missed over a month of the season because of an ankle injury, which prevented him from competing at the Midlands in late December. He came back on January 16 against Oklahoma State only to suffer a heartbreaking loss to freshman Jordan Oliver. (Dennis gave up a takedown with one second left on the clock to lose the match.) Since that loss, Dennis has reeled off six consecutive victories, including a victory over defending NCAA champion Franklin Gomez of Michigan State.
Bottom Line: These two met twice last season with Dennis winning both meetings by two points (6-4, 9-7). Much like the match at 125 pounds, expect this to be a tight match that could go in either direction.
Prediction: Ness (Minnesota) dec. Dennis (Iowa)
141: No. 7 Montell Marion (Iowa) vs. No. 6 Mike Thorn (Minnesota)
Thorn has been steady a performer for the Gophers this season, compiling a record of 20-4. He has picked up bonus points against five wrestlers currently ranked, including Marion, who he pinned at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. Thorn has close losses to No. 1 Kyle Dake of Cornell and No. 2 Reece Humphrey of Ohio State. The 141-pound weight class was thought to be up for grabs for the Hawkeyes entering this season with three wrestlers vying for the spot, but Marion took control of the spot at the Midlands and has started every Big Ten dual meet. He is 5-1 in the Big Ten with his only conference loss coming to Penn State's Adam Lynch in sudden victory on January 29.
Bottom Line: This should be a very competitive match. Thorn's victory over Marion earlier this season was a defensive fall in the first minute of the match, which might not be a very good indicator of what fans can expect to see this time around. Marion does have a victory over a wrestler Thorn lost to (No. 8 Jamal Park of Oklahoma State), while Thorn has a victory over a wrestler Marion lost to (No. 14 Ryan Prater of Illinois).
Prediction: Thorn (Minnesota) dec. Marion (Iowa)
149: No. 1 Brent Metcalf (Iowa) vs. No. 16 Mario Mason (Minnesota)
There isn't much more that can be said about Metcalf that hasn't already been said. He been dominant all season long, going 26-0 and picking up bonus points in all but three matches. Metcalf has pinned his last four opponents, with three of those pins coming against ranked opponents, including No. 4 Frank Molinaro of Penn State. Mason, a redshirt freshman, is coming off a weekend in which he beat his first ranked opponent (Eric Terrazas of Illinois) and then a day later defeated his first All-American (Matt Coughlin of Indiana). He is 15-6 on the season.
Bottom Line: Mason is a talented freshman with a bright future, but it will be tough for him to keep up with Metcalf's pace.
Prediction: Metcalf (Iowa) major dec. Mason (Minnesota)
157: Jake Kerr (Iowa) vs. No. 2 Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota)
Schlatter has been very impressive since moving since moving up to 157 pounds. The three-time All-American and 2006 NCAA champion has gone 5-0 in his new weight class and outscored his opponents 40-6. Schlatter began the season with a loss, but has since won 12 straight matches. Iowa has been platooning Jake Kerr and Aaron Janssen at this weight class. Janssen wrestled on Friday against Northwestern and indications are that Kerr will get the start tonight. Kerr has gone 9-6 this season with his biggest win coming on January 29 against Penn State's seventh-ranked Cyler Sanderson.
Bottom Line: Every point will be critical in this dual meet, so Schlatter will certainly be looking for bonus points. Kerr has only surrendered bonus points once this season in 15 matches.
Prediction: Schlatter (Minnesota) major dec. Kerr (Iowa)
165: No. 4 Ryan Morningstar (Iowa) vs. Cody Yohn (Minnesota)
Morningstar, an NCAA third-place finisher last season, has been racking up wins all season, but has not been lighting up the scoreboard. He is currently 21-3 on the season, but has picked up bonus points just once in his last eight matches. Morningstar's last loss came on January 16 to Oklahoma State freshman Alex Meade, the lone wrestler to beat Schlatter this season. Yohn has gone 3-3 since moving down to 165 pounds after the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. He was in the lineup at 184 pounds when the Gophers wrestled the Hawkeyes earlier this season and was blanked, 11-0, against Phil Keddy.
Bottom Line: Morningstar has failed to pick up bonus points in four of the last five matches against unranked opponents, so bonus points here would be a bit of a surprise.
Prediction: Morningstar (Iowa) dec. Yohn (Minnesota)
174: No. 2 Jay Borschel (Iowa) vs. No. 8 Scott Glasser (Minnesota)
Borschel, a 2008 All-American, came up short of All-American honors last season, but the disappointment of last season seems to have fueled him this season as he has been perfect, going 26-0 and dominating virtually everyone he has faced. He won a Midlands title and 12 days later was named Outstanding Wrestler at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals after going 4-0 with victories over four ranked opponents. He is 6-0 in the Big Ten with his closest match being a six-point victory. Glasser has been one of the most improved wrestlers in the Big Ten this season. Last season, while competing at 165 pounds, Glasser battled injuries and inconsistency all season long. He lost 15 of his last 19 matches, which included an 0-2 performance at the Big Ten Championships. He has been able to stay healthy this season and has settled in nicely at 174 pounds. He started the season unranked, but has ascended up the rankings to No. 8 after several victories over ranked opponents. He has won 18 of his last 19 matches, with the one loss during that span coming to Borschel at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals.
Bottom Line: Borshel had his way with Glasser earlier this season, winning by major decision, 11-3. Based on the way Borschel has been wrestling, it would be tough to envision him losing, but the prediction is that the match will be much closer this time around.
Prediction: Borschel (Iowa) dec. Glasser (Minnesota)
184: No. 12 Phil Keddy (Iowa) vs. Kaleb Young (Minnesota)
When the season began, Keddy, a two-time All-American, was considered one of the frontrunners to challenge for an NCAA title at 184 pounds after finishing fourth at the NCAAs last season. But the Hawkeye senior has not been able to get back to last season's form and has suffered six losses this season, which is more than he suffered all of last season. Five of his six losses have been by two points or less. Keddy was held out against Northwestern on Friday, but is expected to wrestle tonight. Young has struggled of late. He has dropped his last four matches and 10 of his last 12.
Bottom Line: Look for Keddy to come out and dominate the struggling Young.
Prediction: Keddy (Iowa) major dec. Young (Minnesota)
197: Luke Lofthouse (Iowa) vs. No. 12 Sonny Yohn (Minnesota)
Yohn, who is currently ranked No. 12, is coming off a tough stretch in wich he wrestled five straight ranked opponents over three weeks. He went 2-3 during that stretch and is 20-9 overall this season. Lofthouse, who has filled in for the injured Chad Beatty since the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, has gone 6-5 since stepping in the lineup. His most notable victory came on January 22 when he upset No. 8 Anthony Biondo of Michigan, 9-6. He comes into tonight's match with a season record of 19-11.
Bottom Line: These two met earlier this season at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals with Yohn coming out on top in that match, 6-1. Lofthouse will attempt to close the gap.
Prediction: Yohn (Minnesota) dec. Lofthouse (Iowa)
285: No. 10 Dan Erekson (Iowa) vs. Ben Berhow (Minnesota)
Erekson, a returning All-American, missed the first two months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle suffered during an early-season practice. Since returning to the mat on January 24, Erekson has gone 5-0 and has not really been tested in those matches. He has faced one ranked opponent, No. 11 Cameron Wade of Penn State, who he beat 6-1. Berhow, a two-time NCAA qualifier, has been wrestling well of late, winning five of his last six matches. He is 16-9 on the season, but has not defeated a ranked opponent since December 10.
Bottom Line: Erekson defeated Berhow twice last season by scores of 3-2 and 10-4. Erekson is certainly the favorite, but this could be a very competitive match.
Prediction: Erekson (Iowa) dec. Berhow (Minnesota)
Dual Meet Prediction: Iowa 17, Minnesota 16
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