#9 PITT at #8 Oklahoma State
Date Sunday, January 18 at 3:00 p.m. (ET)
Location Gallagher-Iba Arena / Stillwater, Okla.
Radio 93.7 KSPI-FM (Oklahoma)
PITTSBURGH - The Pitt wrestling team looks to extend its season-best four match win streak on Sunday, Jan. 18 when the nationally-ranked No. 9 Panthers travel to No. 8 Oklahoma State in a battle for top-10 supremacy.
Both teams have reason to lay claim to the nation's toughest schedules thus far. Pitt (7-2, 2-0 ACC), is 1-2 against top-15 teams, securing a win over then-No. 10 Edinboro. Oklahoma State (3-2, 0-0 BIG 12), on the other hand, is winless in two tries against ranked teams, but those losses have come to the top-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes and second-ranked Minnesota. With both teams looking for a statement win this weekend to boost their resumes, this highly-anticipated rematch of last year's battle that came down to criteria surely won't disappoint.
SERIES HISTORY
The all-time series between Pitt and OSU dates back only two years. But Sunday's match will mark the third straight season the two teams go head-to-head. In the first-ever meeting, Oklahoma State won at home, 26-14 in 2013. Pitt followed that up with a win on its home floor last year, 19-18, on criteria thanks to Mikey Racciato's fall.
LAST MEETING
Trailing 18-9 with three bouts to go, Max Thomusseit, Nick Bonaccorsi and P.J. Tasser all scored decisions, the last two coming in extra time, and the Panthers were awarded the victory on Mikey Racciato's fall of eighth-ranked Josh Kindig at 149 pounds. Kindig went on to become a national finalist last year.
SCOUTING OKLAHOMA STATE
The Cowboys have spent the entire season ranked either eighth or ninth with the help of eight starters who are currently ranked. Oklahoma State is 3-2 in dual matches, however its two losses came to No. 2 Minnesota and No. 1 Iowa. Recently, the Cowboys claimed third at the Southern Scuffle with three individual champions.
OSU RANKED WRESTLERS
Of Oklahoma State's eight ranked wrestlers, four are in the top-10, including top-ranked Alex Dieringer at 165 pounds. Josh Kindig is ranked fourth at 149 pounds and Austin Marsden is fifth at 285 pounds giving the Cowboys two more in the top-10. Eddie Kilmara rounds out the top-10 participants at 125 pounds. After those four, Nolan Boyd (15th/184), Jordan Rogers (18th/174), Dean Heil (19th/141) and Anthony Collica (19th/157) are all receiving national attention.
INDIVIDUAL MATCHUPS
Three weight classes have the opportunity to pit familiar wrestlers against each other. At 149 pounds, Racciato is 1-0 against Kindig with his win last year, while Edgar Bright fell to Kindig at this year's Southern Scuffle, 3-2. Tyler Wilps defeated Kyle Crutchmer, who was ranked 18th at the time, when he retired due to injury. The only other previous meeting came between Thomusseit and 15th-ranked Nolan Boyd in last year's dual, with Thomusseit winning 8-6
RANKED BATTLES
Sunday's match has the potential for three ranked battles. Bright and Kindig could go head-to-head in a rematch of the Southern Scuffle semifinals. If 18th-ranked Jordan Rogers gets the call at 174 pounds, he would go up against No. 8 Wilps. The matchup at 184 pounds is the only guarantee with No. 2 Thomusseit versus No. 15 Boyd.
Eight of Pitt's 10 starters continue to be ranked in at least one of the six major wrestling
polls, which were all released on Tuesday, January 13.
Date Sunday, January 18 at 3:00 p.m. (ET)
Location Gallagher-Iba Arena / Stillwater, Okla.
Radio 93.7 KSPI-FM (Oklahoma)
PITTSBURGH - The Pitt wrestling team looks to extend its season-best four match win streak on Sunday, Jan. 18 when the nationally-ranked No. 9 Panthers travel to No. 8 Oklahoma State in a battle for top-10 supremacy.
Both teams have reason to lay claim to the nation's toughest schedules thus far. Pitt (7-2, 2-0 ACC), is 1-2 against top-15 teams, securing a win over then-No. 10 Edinboro. Oklahoma State (3-2, 0-0 BIG 12), on the other hand, is winless in two tries against ranked teams, but those losses have come to the top-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes and second-ranked Minnesota. With both teams looking for a statement win this weekend to boost their resumes, this highly-anticipated rematch of last year's battle that came down to criteria surely won't disappoint.
SERIES HISTORY
The all-time series between Pitt and OSU dates back only two years. But Sunday's match will mark the third straight season the two teams go head-to-head. In the first-ever meeting, Oklahoma State won at home, 26-14 in 2013. Pitt followed that up with a win on its home floor last year, 19-18, on criteria thanks to Mikey Racciato's fall.
LAST MEETING
Trailing 18-9 with three bouts to go, Max Thomusseit, Nick Bonaccorsi and P.J. Tasser all scored decisions, the last two coming in extra time, and the Panthers were awarded the victory on Mikey Racciato's fall of eighth-ranked Josh Kindig at 149 pounds. Kindig went on to become a national finalist last year.
SCOUTING OKLAHOMA STATE
The Cowboys have spent the entire season ranked either eighth or ninth with the help of eight starters who are currently ranked. Oklahoma State is 3-2 in dual matches, however its two losses came to No. 2 Minnesota and No. 1 Iowa. Recently, the Cowboys claimed third at the Southern Scuffle with three individual champions.
OSU RANKED WRESTLERS
Of Oklahoma State's eight ranked wrestlers, four are in the top-10, including top-ranked Alex Dieringer at 165 pounds. Josh Kindig is ranked fourth at 149 pounds and Austin Marsden is fifth at 285 pounds giving the Cowboys two more in the top-10. Eddie Kilmara rounds out the top-10 participants at 125 pounds. After those four, Nolan Boyd (15th/184), Jordan Rogers (18th/174), Dean Heil (19th/141) and Anthony Collica (19th/157) are all receiving national attention.
INDIVIDUAL MATCHUPS
Three weight classes have the opportunity to pit familiar wrestlers against each other. At 149 pounds, Racciato is 1-0 against Kindig with his win last year, while Edgar Bright fell to Kindig at this year's Southern Scuffle, 3-2. Tyler Wilps defeated Kyle Crutchmer, who was ranked 18th at the time, when he retired due to injury. The only other previous meeting came between Thomusseit and 15th-ranked Nolan Boyd in last year's dual, with Thomusseit winning 8-6
RANKED BATTLES
Sunday's match has the potential for three ranked battles. Bright and Kindig could go head-to-head in a rematch of the Southern Scuffle semifinals. If 18th-ranked Jordan Rogers gets the call at 174 pounds, he would go up against No. 8 Wilps. The matchup at 184 pounds is the only guarantee with No. 2 Thomusseit versus No. 15 Boyd.
Eight of Pitt's 10 starters continue to be ranked in at least one of the six major wrestling
polls, which were all released on Tuesday, January 13.
