Missouri Head Coach Brian Smith owns two wins over the Sooners in the past three years, although the Tigers came up short last year, losing 18-14 in Norman, Okla. In 2003 and 2004 Missouri was victorious, beating their rivals from the South 25-20 and 21-15, respectively. Each team enters the dual 0-2 in the Big 12 Conference, with both squads dropping a dual to defending national champion No. 2 Oklahoma State.
Austin DeVoe (125, Columbus, Kan.), Chris McCormick (141, Leawood, Kan.) and Jeff Foust (197, Blue Springs, Mo.) have been making an impact on Tiger wrestling since they entered the University of Missouri in the fall of 2001. Not a season has passed since that time that at least one of them has not been a member of the starting lineup. Each member of the trio faces a tough task Sunday, taking on former NCAA All-Americans in the final home starts of their careers.
DeVoe, ranked 18th in the nation, will face off against No. 2 Sam Hazewinkel, a two-time third-place finisher at the NCAA Championships. DeVoe carries a 25-11 mark into the match and looks to be the first wrestler to upset the undefeated Hazewinkel this season. McCormick is matched up against No. 2 Teyon Ware, a two-time national champion at 141 pounds. Facing off against a competitor who took fourth place at the NCAA Championships one year ago, Foust will shake hands with No. 5 Joel Flaggert at 197 pounds.
Ranked No. 1 in the nation at 174 pounds, Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) continues to cement his place in Tiger annals as one of the best grapplers ever to put on a Missouri singlet. Last week Askren pinned No. 3 Jacob Klein of Nebraska in 4:29 to pick up his 33rd straight victory, the longest active streak in the nation. The victory was also the 99th win of Askren's career, giving the junior a chance to reach the 100-win plateau against No. 12 Wes Roberts this Sunday. With a raised hand against Roberts, Askren will become the fastest Tiger to reach 100 wins and the only grappler to reach the mark in his third season as a starter.
Rounding out the list of battles between ranked wrestlers, junior Matt Pell (165, Luxemburg, Wis.) and redshirt freshman Raymond Jordan (184, New Bern, N.C.) will both square off against top competitors. Ranked No. 5 in the nation, Pell faces a familiar opponent in No. 14 Jarrod King. The two competitors met in the championship bout of the Missouri Open Nov. 20, with Pell taking the match by injury default. The No. 15 competitor in the country at 184 pounds, Jordan steps into center circle against No. 13 Justin Dyer, a junior who qualified for the NCAA Championships a year ago. In the midst of a stellar opening season as a member of Missouri's starting lineup, Jordan has defeated six ranked opponents on his way to a 27-8 mark.
The 1 p.m. CST dual against Oklahoma will also serve as Fan Appreciation Day, at which free tickets to Missouri sporting events and free hair cuts at Cost Cutters will be given out
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