Since the beginning of the season, the ISU wrestling team has had its eyes set on March.

With a young team, ISU coach Kevin Jackson has preached all season that the experience built in dual meets would culminate in March when the season matters most.

After three weeks of work in the wrestling room at Lied Recreation Athletic Center, the Cyclones will finally put their season’s work to test in the Big 12 Championships on Saturday in Columbia, Mo.

“[The break] gave us some time to recover, it gave us some time to rest and it gave us some time to just focus on our training and make sure guys are fresh mind and body[-wise],” Jackson said.

No. 10 Iowa State (4-13, 0-6 Big 12) will take on wrestlers from No. 4 Oklahoma State (17-1, 6-0), No. 13 Missouri (14-5, 3-3) and No. 15 Oklahoma (13-5, 3-3) when the Big 12 schools meet in the Hearnes Center.

In the opening round of the tournament Saturday, redshirt freshman Luke Goettl will have an opportunity to avenge his two losses to Oklahoma State’s Josh Kindig.

Earlier this season, after two losses to Oklahoma’s Kendric Maple, Goettl upset the then-No. 1 wrestler at 141 pounds in overtime on his third attempt. Goettl said he’s confident he can do the same against Kindig and has a simple plan.

“Don’t sit back and wait, go take what’s mine,” Goettl said. “You don’t get given wins, you have to go take it. That’s what coach says every day, so I’m going to go take it.”

The three-week layoff for the Cyclones also has allowed redshirt senior Jerome Ward (197) and redshirt junior Chris Spangler (174) to get healthy. Jackson said both are ready to wrestle.

“They’re as healthy as they have been all year,” Jackson said. “I’m really happy with what I’ve seen with those guys over the last three weeks. I think they’re at their best right now.”

For redshirt senior Andrew Sorenson, the three weeks off have been important. Sorenson, who is ranked fourth in the country at 165 pounds, said the young team has remained focused.

“The three weeks have been nice because we’ve had a lot of time to recover and talk and get these guys ready for Big 12s,” Sorenson said. “Usually around this time of the season, some guys start getting burnt out, but guys are excited to still be in the room and they’re still coming to work.”

While stressing that the final month would be the true way to judge his team since the beginning of the season, Jackson believes he has seen the improvement. Now, the team will face its biggest test yet.

“I’ve seen the improvement, I see the energy level and I see the intensity, which has grown and gotten better throughout the year,” Jackson said. “But I see it in the room right now — I’ll have to see on Saturday if that is true.”

The first matches will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday.