The Beavers (9-6, 2-2 Pac-12) got a momentum-generating pin from Jack Hathaway (133), a tie-breaking major decision from Corey Griego (184) and a last-second, match-clinching win by Cody Crawford (197) to earn their fourth win in their last five starts and their fifth triumph over a ranked opponent this winter.
"I told them you have to wrestle tough, you have to work the whole seven minutes," OSU coach Jim Zalesky said. "The best example of that was Cody Crawford, shooting and getting a good takedown at the end of his match" for a 4-2 win over Brad Johnson that gave the Beavers an insurmountable 19-12 cushion.
"That sealed the win for us. I was pleased with our effort, even I the ones we lost we had good effort. All the guys fought hard. I liked their fight."
Ronnie Bresser (125) and Amarveer Dhesi (heavyweight) both prevailed in matches pitting ranked opponents, and Abraham Rodriguez (157) continued his February turnaround to give OSU a sweep of the home-and-home series with the Sooners (9-5). OSU also won in Norman last season, 20-17.
"They are ranked seventh in the country and we want people to know that we are right there with the best of them to," said Rodriguez, whose 5-2 decision over Shayne Tucker gave the Beavers a 12-6 advantage at the midway point.
"It was important to us. We beat them, and that makes a statement."
Hathaway's match was pivotal. He escaped unscathed from a dangerous position late in the first period, and then turned the tables on Trae Blackwell with his first pin since his second match of the season. It gave OSU a 9-3 lead.
"It was huge," Zalesky said. "He almost gave up a four-pointer, he escaped, got a takedown and then he hit what we call a 'cement mixer' and got the fall. It was big for team momentum going into those next matches."
Rodriguez lost seven matches in a row at one point this season, dropping his record to 8-13. But he went 3-0, with three bonus points and a win over the Pac-12's current top seed, in last week's road trip to California, and extended his winning streak to four straight on Thursday.
"During that [tailspin] it was hard but you just have to keep believing, keep plugging away," he said. "Good things started happening and it started coming for me. That's what I always believed.
"[Thursday] is momentum for this dual, and for Pac-12s and nationals coming up," he said.
The seventh-ranked Bresser topped eight-ranked Ryan Millhof 3-1. The 10th-ranked Dhesi defeated No. 15 Ross Larson 8-6 for his eighth win in a row.
Zalesky said the Beavers show definite signs of becoming the team he thought they could be earlier this year. OSU had five holdover starters, and two coming off redshirts, with NCAA-tournament experience, but the team was inconsistent until recently.
"I knew what guys could do," Zalesky said. "It was a matter of taking it out here. The matches we won were forced our positions on the other guy.
The Beavers conclude their nonconference schedule at 5 p.m. Sunday against Air Force. The Falcons (7-5) defeated Utah Valley 20-13 and New Mexico Highlands 30-9 in Colorado Springs on Thursday.
OSU then closes the regular season with the annual Border War against Boise State, set for 11 a.m. Feb. 21 at Gill Coliseum. It will be televised by Pac-12 Networks. The Pac-12 Championships are Feb. 27, at Arizona State.
For more information on the Oregon State wrestling team, follow the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/OSU_Wrestling or by Facebook at Facebook.com/OregonStateWrestling.
Results:
125: Ronnie Bresser (OSU) dec. Ryan Millhof (OU), 3-1
133: Cody Brewer (OU) dec. Joey Palmer (OSU), 12-7
141: Jack Hathaway (OSU) pinned Trae Blackwell (OU), 4:18
149: Davion Jeffries (OU) dec. Joey Delgado (OSU), 11-5
157: Abraham Rodriguez (OSU) dec. Shayne Tucker (OU), 5-2
165: Clark Glass (OU) dec. Seth Thomas (OSU), 3-1
174: Matt Reed (OU) dec. Tyler Chay (OSU), 8-2
184: Corey Griego (OSU) maj. dec. Andrew Dixon (OU), 12-1
197: Cody Crawford (OSU) dec. Brad Johnson (OU), 4-2
HWT: Amarveer Dhesi (OSU) dec. Ross Larson (OU), 8-6
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