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Jan. 31, 2013

NORMAN, Okla. -- The 22nd-ranked Oklahoma wrestling team travels to Columbia, Mo. this weekend for its final dual of the 2012-13 season with a Saturday night match against the seventh-ranked Missouri Tigers.

The Sooners look to bounce back after dropping a pair of matches on the road last weekend at then-No. 14 Lehigh and then-No. 9 Virginia Tech. Saturday concludes a tough stretch for the Sooners, who will have faced three consecutive opponents in the top 15.

Missouri holds a 10-1-1 record this season, with a 2-1 mark in the Mid-American Conference, their one loss to OU mutual opponent then-No. 11 Central Michigan, who the Sooners defeated, 24-14, earlier this season at the Northeastern Duals.

Missouri has captured wins against ranked opponents No. 21 Northern Iowa, who beat OU 18-15 in January, No. 8 Cornell in the Grapple at the Garden event in New York City and No. 25 Bloomsburg in dual action. The Tigers host No. 2 Oklahoma State on Friday night, before their final home match of the year against Oklahoma on Saturday.

Missouri is led by nine wrestlers ranked in the top 20 according Intermat.com's latest poll, including four Tigers in the top 10 of their respective weight class.

The nation's top-ranked heavyweight Dom Bradley (26-0) and No. 3 125-pounder Alan Waters (18-0) enter the weekend with undefeated records on the year. Both OU senior Keldrick Hall and freshman Kyle Garcia will look to take down Bradley and Waters, respectively.

OU's No. 1 141-pounder Kendric Maple also enters the dual undefeated with a 21-0 record, and will match up against either No. 26 Nicholas Hucke or Trevor Jauch. In the 133-pound match, No. 11 Cody Brewer will take the mat for the Sooners against No. 6 Nathan McCormick.

Other matchups that feature top-25 pairings are No. 9 149-pounder Nick Lester against Missouri's No. 15 Drake Houdashelt, No. 17 157-pounder Matt Lester in the Crimson and Cream against No. 19 Kyle Bradley, and No. 4 165-pounder Bubby Graham for OU against No. 16 Zach Toal.

Oklahoma leads the all-time series against Missouri 41-9, however Missouri has captured five wins and just two losses over the last seven years, including and 25-12 victory last year in Columbia.