No. 3 Iowa State beats No. 2 Missouri 27-12

Emily Gatewood University of Missouri
02/11/2007

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The second-ranked Missouri wrestling team and third-ranked Iowa State Cyclones put their 3-0 Big 12 records on the line in front of a record-setting 2,772 fans in the Hearnes Center, with the Tigers falling short of the victory, 27-12. Competing without two starters, Missouri managed only three wins on the day at 141, 174 and 184 pounds. The televised dual will be rebroadcast on Fox Sports Midwest, Saturday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. (CT) and Friday, Feb. 23 at Noon.

After suffering back-to-back losses at 125 and 133 pounds, freshman Ashtin Primus (South Connelsville, Pa.) put Missouri on the board with his 8-3 decision over Laramie Shaffer at 141 pounds. Shaffer scored first with a takedown but Primus was quick to rattle off an escape and two takedowns for a 5-2 lead entering the second period. Deferring his choice until the third period, Shaffer chose neutral to start the second and was taken down with 48 seconds on the clock. Primus was awarded his final point of the match after Shaffer locked hands (illegal hold) and Shaffer was credited with 1:30 of riding time for the final Tiger win by decision.

A string of Missouri losses at 149, 157 and 165 pounds brought up senior defending National Champion Ben Askren (Hartland, Mo.) at 174 pounds. The No. 1 ranked wrestler wasted no time in pinning is opponent, Grant Turner, planting the Cyclones’ shoulders in the mat in 1:08. The fall was Askren’s 22nd pin this season recorded in the first period and helped Missouri cut Iowa State’s lead in half, 18-9.

Sophomore NCAA qualifier Raymond Jordan (New Bern, N.C.), ranked fifth in the nation at 184 pounds, gave Missouri an additional three team points with his 6-4 decision over No. 6 Jake Varner. Tied at three entering the final period, Jordan earned a takedown on the edge of the mat with 23 seconds left on the clock. Tallying 1:33 of riding time, Jordan defended his higher ranking with his 23rd win of the season. Jordan is a perfect 5-0 against Big 12 opponents.

In a match that paired No. 1 ranked Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) against 10th-ranked Kurt Backes at 197 pounds, a defensive fall, gave Iowa State a 12 point lead that Missouri was unable to recover from. Scrambling on the mat, Backes came up with the pin in the second period (3:51) that ended Askren’s perfect 26-win season.

“We’ll move on,” Head Coach Brian Smith said. “We need to wrestle better. We didn’t wrestle our best today but we’ll get back on track. In this sport rankings don’t matter, it is how you perform in March that counts.”

125 #12 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU) decision John Olanowski (MU): 8-1 0 3
133 Nick Gallick (ISU) major decision Tim Kephart (MU): 14-3 0 7
141 Ashtin Primus (MU) decision Laramie Shaffer (ISU): 8-3 3 7
149 #19 Cyler Sanderson (ISU) decision #7 Josh Wagner (MU): 5-2 3 10
157 #4 Trent Paulson (ISU) tech fall#13 Nicholas Marable (MU): 20-5 3 15
165 #3 Travis Paulson (ISU) decision #7 Matt Pell (MU): 2-0 3 18
174 #1 Ben Askren (MU) fall Grant Turner (ISU): 1:08 9 18
184 #5 Raymond Jordan (MU) decision #6 Jake Varner (ISU): 6-4 12 18
197 #10 Kurt Backes (ISU) fall #1 Maxwell Askren (MU): 3:51 12 24
HWT #15 David Zabriskie (ISU) decision #20 Mark Ellis (MU): 8-4 12 27