The opportunities were there for the taking, but it wasn’t the Cyclones grabbing them. 

In a five point dual that came down to the final match of the day, Iowa State (6-2, 0-1 Big 12) could not outlast Big 12 rival Oklahoma State, who walked out of Hilton with a 20-15 win. The win didn’t come easy for No. 8 Oklahoma State (6-3, 2-0 Big 12), as several matches came down to the wire. 

Kyle Larson held a 6-1 lead in the third period against No. 10 Eddie Klimara before Klimara came back with two takedowns and two escapes to win the match 8-7. 

Lost opportunity presented itself again at 174 pounds. Tanner Weatherman was down 5-4 with 15 seconds left before Kyle Crutchmer scored a takedown with five seconds left, winning the match 7-4 and not allowing Weatherman a single takedown. 

And even in the final match of the day, Quean Smith’s match against No. 5 Austin Marsden, the opportunity was there, but just out of Smith’s reach in a 4-3 loss. 

ISU wrestling coach Kevin Jackson said that the Cyclones’ lack of attacks is what it all came down to. 

“Great opportunity to win in your home gym against a pretty good team and we let a couple matches slip away from us,” Jackson said. “I don’t know why we’re not attacking, but it’s up and down the lineup for the most part.”

The Cyclones were able to get wins from Earl Hall, Gabe Moreno, Lelund Weatherspoon and Kyven Gadson, but Jackson said he still expected more attacks in a few of those wins. 

This is the eighth time in a row Iowa State has lost to Oklahoma State, but it was by far in a way the closest dual of the series since Iowa State’s last win in 2010. After the intermission, the Cowboys’ captain Alex Dieringer, ranked No. 1 at 165, won by major decision against No. 4 Michael Moreno, the second of three straight wins for Oklahoma State. 

Weatherspoon broke the chain at 184 pounds with a 5-1 victory, followed by a dominating performance by All-American Kyven Gadson, who scored a pin in the second period and brought the dual score to 17-15 heading into the heavyweight match. 

” I saw an opportunity and I knew we needed bonus points to put ourselves in a position a win … so I seized it,” Gadson said. 

In the end, Smith would struggle to get off a single shot or takedown attempt in the final seconds of a 4-3 decision. Jackson said that despite Smith narrowly losing in a match he was favored against, he thought the heavyweight represented himself well. 

But when it came down to it, Jackson said Smith’s, the final match of the day, resembled Larson’s match that got the dual started. 

“They just wanted to win a lot more than us at those weight classes and I think that’s what’s most disappointing,” Jackson said. 

Iowa State will take on its second of three Big 12 opponents next week, when the Cyclones take on Oklahoma at 7 p.m. Jan. 31 in Norman, Okla.