With the Big 12 Championships looming, second-ranked Iowa State travels to Lincoln, Neb. for a showdown with No. 6 Nebraska.

In what is considered the showcase match of the evening, top-ranked 141-pounder Nate Gallick faces a familiar foe, 2004 Big 12 and NCAA runner-up Matt Murray.

Gallick, the 2004 Big 12 champion, defeated Murray 2-1 in overtime in the championship match last season. Ranked fourth, Murray is 0-3 against Gallick, but recently defeated No. 2 Teyon Ware of Oklahoma.

“I need to wrestle a smart match and not let him frustrate me,” Gallick said. “He has really good defense and we really usually have pretty close matches.”

Though Gallick said his match will be important to the team’s success, other weight classes will be more important in the long run.

“The 125-pound match between [Grant] Nakamura and [Matt] Keller is really important,” Gallick said. “A win makes [Nakamura] either a second or third seed at the conference tournament.”

With the matches at 125, 141 and 184-pounds thought to be the most important, senior Trevor Smith said it will take more than those three matches to beat Nebraska.

“This is going to be one of our biggest matches of the year,” Smith said. “Nebraska has been wrestling really well right now, and we’re wrestling well too. I think we’re peaking and our conditioning is a lot better. I think that will show when we wrestle them.”

Head coach Bobby Douglas said this match will not be much different than any other this season.

“This will be a typical Big 12 brawl,” Douglas said. “They’re strong where we’re strong and they’re more experienced where we’re inexperienced. I would give Nebraska a slight edge in experience but I’m hoping conditioning will be a factor, and I’m hoping some of the work we’ve put in we’ll start to show up.”

Douglas said this meet is more about preparation than momentum into the postseason.

“This isn’t really about momentum,” Douglas said. “We have some things that have to get done before we’re ready for the national tournament. This is a big test for us to see how much more work we need to put in before the national tournament.”

With the end of the season quickly approaching, the Cyclones continue to work toward their goal of a national title. Douglas said determination and perseverance are what make wrestlers national champions.

“I think [individual] records speak for themselves,” Douglas said. “The guys that are coming in and working hard are picking up the system and finding success. The others are struggling a little.”

With a national title hunt quickly approaching, Gallick said the final tuneup in Lincoln will be a big test.

“[This meet] is really important,” Gallick said.

“It’s important to end the dual season on a good note and Nebraska’s one of the top teams. We need to beat them.”