Huskers Tie Home Win Mark in Win over Oklahoma

Lincoln -- The second-ranked Nebraska wrestling team improved to 19-2 on the season as they won seven of 10 matches to snap a five-match dual losing streak to 11th-ranked Oklahoma, 25-12, Friday afternoon in front of a season-high crowd of 2,072 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center Track.

With the win, Nebraska won its tenth home dual in the 2003-04 season, finishing the season undefeated for the first time since the 1991-92 and for just the fourth time in school history. NU also won its 14th straight home dual, tying the record that was set in 1989-90.

The match got off to a great start as Matt Keller defeated No. 18 Mimi Miller by pinning him at the 1:11 mark in the third period to give NU a early 6-0 lead. The win over Miller was Keller’s seventh win over a ranked opponent this season and his 23rd win of the season which ties him for 10th all-time on the freshman season win list.

"I had a lot of confidence going into this match," Keller said. "I’ve been working harder and harder in practice all week, and I just went out there and pinned him."

Following the Keller win, junior Matt Murray gave NU a 10-0 lead with his major decision over Shane Kidd, 14-3. Kidd wrestled in place of defending national champion Teyon Ware. NU suffered its first loss of the night as third-ranked Travis Shufelt was upset by 12th-ranked Jeff Ecklof, 11-8.

Leading by seven, junior B.J. Wright won his first career Big 12 dual match, as he defeated Rafael Maturino, 5-3. Tied at three, Wright scored a takedown with 38 seconds left and was then able to ride Maturino out for the victory.

Sophomore Jacob Klein improved to 15-6 on the year as he won his sixth match in his last seven duals over Charles Jones, 3-0 at 165 pounds to give NU a 13-3 lead. Sophomore James Pummel won his second straight match as he defeated Randy Sulaver, 5-2 at 174 pounds.

NU suffered its second upset of the night as third-ranked Travis Pascoe fell to seventh-ranked Dustin Dyer via fall with 1:11 left in the third period to bring OU within 19-9. Sophomore B.J. Padden put the dual out of reach as he improved to 21-4 on the year with a win over Joel Tapler, 10-3. Following the Padden win, fifth-ranked Leonce Crump defeated ninth-ranked Nathan McClain, 7-4.

The final match of the night saw top-ranked and two-time All-American Jason Powell defeat ninth-ranked Sam Hazewinkel, 3-1. Trailing by one, Powell scored an escape with 18 seconds left to tie the match. With six seconds left, Powell scored the matchup's only takedown to take home the win.

"It felt good to end my career with a win," Powell said. "I was glad I got the takedown in regulation because I don’t know about him, but I was tired."

The victory was the first for NU under head coach Mark Manning against the Sooners and the seventh win over a ranked opponent this season.

"It was a good win for us," Manning said. "It was not our best performance, but it’s probably good for us because right now because we have things we can correct before the conference tournament."

The Huskers return to action on Thursday, Feb. 26, as they travel to Ames, Iowa, for the season finale against third-ranked Iowa State beginning at 7 p.m.

#2 Nebraska 25, #11 Oklaoma 12
133 #9 Keller (NU) by fall over #18 Miller (OU), 5:24 NU 6, OU 0
141 #11 Murray (NU) by major decision over Kidd (OU), 14-3 NU 10, OU
149 #12 Ecklof (OU) by decision over #4 Shufelt (NU), 11-8 NU 10, OU 3
157 #11 Wright (NU) by decision over Maturino (OU), 5-3 NU 13, OU 3
165 #17 Klein (NU) by decision over Jones (OU), 3-0 NU 16, OU 3
174 Pummel (NU) by decision over Sulaver (OU), 5-2 NU 19, OU 3
184 #7 Dyer (OU) by fall over #3 Pascoe (NU), 5:49 NU 19, OU 9
197 #2 Padden (NU) by decision over Tapler (OU), 10-3 NU 22, OU 9
HWT #5 Crump (OU) by decision over #9 McClain (NU), 7-4 NU 19, OU 12
125 #1 Powell (NU) by decision over Hazewinkel (OU), 3-1 NU 25, OU 12