By ranking, Sunday’s dual looks like a matchup between heavyweights, with both teams being positioned in the top 10, but health issues may well end up being the deciding factor.
Coming into the week there was one match the whole country was looking forward to: No. 2 David Carr versus No. 1 Keegan O’Toole at 165 pounds. Now, it is looking uncertain that fans will get to see the rematch of last year’s national championship final.
Missouri head coach Brian Smith released a statement Friday night stating “Due to illness and injury, Mizzou wrestling will have a limited lineup this weekend. We remain focused on getting healthy for Big 12 Championships.”
Missouri then faced off against Northern Iowa on Friday, and it was obvious that the team was resting up in an attempt to get healthy.
The No. 17 Panthers made easy work of Missouri, winning 31-6.
Absent from Missouri’s lineup were five nationally ranked wrestlers, including three ranked within the top 10. The most notable of those absences being No. 1 O’Toole.
Despite Carr versus O’Toole part four seeming like a question mark, there is still one match that should have everyone’s attention.
At 285 pounds, it is a matchup between two undefeated wrestlers, with Iowa State’s No. 3 Yonger Bastida (19-0) taking on Missouri’s No. 5 Zach Elam (20-0).
Zach Elam was the only Missouri wrestler ranked in the top 10 to compete in the team’s dual Friday night, and the hope is that he will also be in the lineup Sunday.
“I’m looking forward to that match. I’m really excited for this match,” Bastida said.
This will be the first time that the two have faced off, but Bastida has experience with Zach Elam’s brother Rocky Elam from his time at 197 pounds, having wrestled him a few times in years prior.
“I think Rocky [Elam] shoots more. His brother is more of a common wrestler. He doesn’t shoot as much, but they both are really good wrestlers,” Bastida said.
Other than the marquee matchup at 285 pounds, there might not be a lot to take away from Sunday’s dual if Missouri’s lineup looks anything like it did against Northern Iowa.
One last thing to look for is the status of Kysen Terukina, who turned himself in to Story County Jail on Tuesday morning for a probation violation.
“I don’t know what we’re gonna do with him Sunday yet. We gotta get through practice a couple more days,” Iowa State head coach Kevin Dresser said.
There is a chance a decision will not have to be made Sunday, as Missouri did not have any wrestler compete at 125 pounds, Terukina’s weight class, Friday night against Northern Iowa.
Despite all of that, Sunday should be a successful day for the Cyclones, as three wrestlers take the mat at Hilton one last time.
If the Tigers continue to rest their top wrestlers, which seems to be the belief, the Cyclones should feel good about ending the regular season with a victory.
The dual is set to start at 2 p.m. Sunday at Hilton. The dual can be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
