No. 5 Missouri wrestling rebounds with dominant win against No. 7 Oklahoma

Fifth-ranked Missouri wrestling spotted No. 7 Oklahoma a six-point lead Saturday in dual action at the Hearnes Center, but the Tigers’ hospitality had its limits.

Coach Brian Smith’s squad won seven straight matches after the Sooners claimed decisions at 125 and 133 pounds en route to a 31-12 victory.

Missouri’s 37-dual win streak was snapped Jan. 22 at Oklahoma State, but the Tigers got back on track against another former Big 12 rival.

“We had to bounce back,” junior 141-pounder Matt Manley said. “We had a week of practice, and I think that was on everybody’s mind, getting back to things and how we know how to wrestle. … The team was ready to go today.”

Oak Park graduate and defending national champion Cody Brewer beat Mizzou’s Zach Synon 10-3 at 133, helping provide Oklahoma’s early lead.

Manley started the comeback by pinning Sooners sophomore Trae Blackwell late in the first period.

Manley said he wasn’t feeling any pressure to turn things around for the team.

“I take every match the same way — go out and get to my (tie-ups), get to my scores — and the team will take care of itself,” he said.

Still, Manley’s win got the ball rolling.

“The team got a little more excited after that,” he said. “Everybody kind of took a breath and knew we were going to be OK.”

Junior Lavion Mayes, who is ranked No. 3 nationally, then staked Missouri to the lead with a 4-2 win against Oklahoma freshman Davion Jeffries at 149. Mayes improved to 20-0 this season.

The crowd of 2,080, the 11th-largest in Tigers history for a wrestling-exclusive event, delighted as Missouri rolled from there.

Senior Le’Roy Barnes, a Belton graduate, claimed an 8-0 major decision, redshirt freshman Daniel Lewis, a Blue Springs graduate, followed with a 4-0 win and senior Blaise Butler won by first-period fall.

Wrestling in place of Willie Miklus at 184, redshirt senior Cody Johnston earned a technical fall in 3:43 against Oklahoma redshirt freshman Andrew Dixon to put the dual out of reach.

Miklus has been hampered recently by a nagging ankle injury, Smith said. He will take a few weeks to get healthy.

Junior J’den Cox, who is ranked second nationally, capped Missouri’s seven-match run with a 9-0 major decision. He improved to 20-1 on the season.

No. 7 Oklahoma at No. 5 Missouri dual results

125: Ryan Millhoff (OU) dec. Barlow McGhee (MU), 3-2.

133: Cody Brewer (OU) dec. Zach Synon (MU), 10-3.

141: Matt Manley (MU) p. Trae Blackwell (OU), 2:40.

149: Lavion Mayes (MU) dec. Davion Jeffries (OU), 4-2.

157: Le’Roy Barnes (MU) m.d. Brock Wingbermuehle (OU), 8-0.

165: Daniel Lewis (MU) dec. Clark Glass (OU), 4-0.

174: Blaise Butler (MU) p. Matt Reed (OU), 2:16.

184: Cody Johnston (MU) t.f. Andrew Dixon (OU), 3:43.

197: J’den Cox (MU) m.d. Brad Johnson (OU), 9-0.

285: Ross Larson (OU) p. James Romero (MU), 1:35.

This story was originally published January 30, 2016 at 7:05 PM with the headline "No. 5 Missouri wrestling rebounds with dominant win against No. 7 Oklahoma."