IOWA CITY — The second-ranked ISU wrestling team had a chance to dethrone Big Brother on an epic stage.

Instead, first-ranked defending NCAA Champion Iowa again showed its superiority in the rivalry, claiming a 20-15 victory in front of a NCAA dual record crowd of 15,955 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Several of Iowa State’s six lost matches illustrate the competitiveness of the dual.

Third-ranked Alex Tsirtsis (141) keyed the Hawkeyes’ win with a literal last-second victory against second-ranked Cyclone Nick Gallick. With the score tied 2-2 in the third period, Gallick tried to ride Tsirtsis into overtime.

But Tsirtsis was able to break Gallick’s control, move behind Gallick through the ISU junior’s legs and cover for a reversal with one second on the clock.

Officials briefly conferred while Iowa State coaches argued that time had expired. After the dual, ISU head coach Cael Sanderson said he saw one second on the clock out of the corner of his eye.

Fifth-ranked ISU sophomore Tyler Clark (125) started off slowly in the meet’s first match, giving up a takedown within the first 30 seconds against second-ranked Charlie Falck.

Clark then allowed a reversal with 12 seconds left in the second period, but nearly overcame 4-1 deficit. The ISU true sophomore landed a single-leg shot in the waning seconds of the match, but couldn’t quite finish the takedown.

Fifth-ranked Cyclone Nick Fanthorpe (133) demoralized the Iowa crowd in the next match, dominating first-ranked Joe Slaton, 12-2. Slaton recorded a takedown early in the match but wore down. Fanthorpe scored a takedown, three-point near fall and two stalling points over the second and third periods, also riding Slaton out in the third.

After bonus-point victories by Iowa’s Brent Metcalf and Iowa State’s Cyler Sanderson, ninth-ranked Hawkeye Ryan Morningstar (165) upset third-ranked Jon Reader, 2-0.

Iowa led 14-8 and needed two decisions to decisions to guarantee a tie heading into the final four matches.

Iowa’s second-ranked Jay Borschel (174) two first-period takedowns in a 5-1 victory over eighth-ranked Duke Burk, 5-1.

Third-ranked Hawkeye Phil Keddy (184) clinched the meet with a third-period takedown and a 3-2 victory over unranked Jerome Ward, 3-2. Trailing by 12 team points, Iowa State’s No. 1 ranked Jake Varner (197) and second-ranked David Zabriskie (HWT) needed pins to secure a tie, but Varner couldn’t turn Iowa reserve Luke Lofthouse to keep that hope alive.

The record attendance broke the previous mark set in 2002 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, when 15,646 fans watched Iowa wrestle Minnesota.

The Hawkeyes now won 56 of 70 duals against Iowa State, not including two ties. Iowa State won the rivalry dual in 2003 and 2004, but has now lost the last four meetings in the series.

No. 1 Iowa 20, No. 2 Iowa State 15

125 pounds – No. 2 Charlie Falck (UI) dec. No. 5 Tyler Clark (ISU), 4-2

133 pounds – No. 5 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU)  major dec. No. 1 Joe Slaton (UI), 12-2

141 pounds – No. 3 Alex Tsirtsis (UI) dec. No. 2 Nick Gallick (ISU), 4-2

149 pounds – No. 1 Brent Metcalf (UI) tech. fall No. 10 Mitch Mueller (ISU), 25-10 (6:24)

157 pounds – No. 7 Cyler Sanderson (ISU) major dec. Matt Ballweg (UI), 22-9

165 pounds – No. 9 Ryan Morningstar (UI) dec. No. 3  Jon Reader (ISU), 2-0

174 pounds –No. 2  Jay Borschel (UI) dec. No. 8 Duke Burk (ISU), 5-1

184 pounds – No. 3 Phillip Keddy (UI) dec. Jerome Ward (ISU), 3-2

197 pounds – No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) major dec. Luke Lofthouse (UI), 13-3

HWT – No. 2 David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. No. 16 Dan Erekson (UI), 5-1