Flashes Host No. 4 Missouri Sunday
12/18/2015 9:18:00 AM | Wrestling
Kent State (5-1, 1-0 MAC) hosts No. 4 Missouri (4-0, 2-0 MAC) Sunday inside the M.A.C. Center at 2 p.m. The Golden Flashes are off to their best start in dual meets in six years and are No. 16 in the latest InterMat Tournament Rankings.
Watch, Listen and Follow Live
Sunday's dual meet can be seen live and free on KentStateSports.com.
The Golden Flashes and Tigers can also be heard on Golden Flashes Radio on iHeartRadio with Matt Miller. Live Scoring can be followed on TrackWrestling.com.
Dual Success
Since Head Coach Jim Andrassy's third season (2005-06), the Golden Flashes have gone 133-64-1 in dual meets and 42-14-1 in MAC dual meets. Since the 2010-11 season, the Flashes have gone 20-8 at home.
This season, Mack McGuire, Kyle Conel, Ian Miller, Mike DePalma and Cole Baxter are all undefeated in dual meets.
The Opponent
The Tigers have won three straight Mid-American Conference tournaments and are 17-1 in conference duals since joining the MAC. Missouri's lineup is highlighted by 2014 NCAA champion J'Den Cox, who is a two-time MAC champion at 197. Cox and junior 149-pounder Lavion Mayes each won championships at the Las Vegas Invitational, helping the Tigers to a team title. Redshirt freshman 165-pounder Daniel Lewis and senior 174-pounder Blaise Butler each placed third in Las Vegas. Last weekend, Missouri knocked off defending NCAA champion Ohio State 26-17 at the Hearnes Center.
History vs. Missouri
Kent State is 1-7 all-time against Missouri with its only victory coming in the finals of 2012 Virginia Duals. Last December, the Tigers topped the Golden Flashes 26-14 in Columbia. Mack McGuire, Ian Miller and Tyler Buckwalter all claimed two-point victories. The Tigers topped the Flashes 24-9 the last time the teams met in Kent (2013). Miller and McGuire each earned victories at the M.A.C. Center.
Kent State vs. Missouri Projected Lineups
125: Del Vinas (6-5) vs. No. 10 Barlow McGhee (11-4)
133: No. 11 Mack McGuire (14-2) vs. No. 12 Zach Synon (12-3)
141: Anthony Tutolo (17-7) or Chance Driscoll (11-9) vs. No. 12 Matt Manley (18-4)
149: No. 13 Mike DePalma (14-2) vs. No. 4 Lavion Mayes (13-0)
157: No. 2 Ian Miller (12-0) or Casey Sparkman (17-7) vs. Matt Lemanowicz (4-3) or Luke Fortuna (12-6)
165: No. 33 Tyler Buckwalter (12-4) vs. No. 11 Daniel Lewis (12-3) or Nick DeLoach (6-3)
174: Mike Vollant (8-5) vs. No. 10 Blaise Butler (8-1) or Cody Johnston (0-0)
184: No. 26 Cole Baxter (13-3) vs. No. 7 Willie Miklus (8-2)
197: Jerald Spohn (10-8) vs. No. 2 J'Den Cox (13-1)
285: Stephen Suglio (9-10) or Devin Nye (17-7) vs. James Romero (10-10)
*WrestlingReport Rankings
Possible Heavyweight Rematch
In the round of 32 at the Las Vegas Invitational, Stephen Suglio met James Romero and fell behind 6-0 in the first period. By the third period, Suglio narrowed the gap to 8-5 and took Romero down to his back for a pin.
Last Time Out
Kent State opened MAC competition with a 28-3 victory over Buffalo last Sunday at the M.A.C. Center. Eight of the Golden Flashes nine victories came down to the final seconds, including overtime wins from Tyler Buckwalter and Kyle Conel.
Quick Shots
- Kyle Conel and Stephen Suglio both earned their first career MAC dual victory against Buffalo.
- Redshirt freshman Devin Nye won a 285-pound title at the Cleveland State Open last weekend. Four other Flashes placed in the Top three.
- Anthony Tutolo could be competing in his first dual meet Sunday
- Ian Miller has won 157-pound titles at both the Navy Classic and Las Vegas Invitational. He was named MAC Wrestler of the Week on Nov. 25. He is No. 2 in every major poll.
- Miller recorded his 35th career pin at Navy, which ranks fourth among Kent State's career leaders. He also recently passed Nic Bedelyon for eighth place in career victories, now with 117.
- Mack McGuire upped his career win total to 97 against the Bulls.
- Kent State and Missouri's associate head coaches Matt Hill and Alex Clemsen were teammates at Edinboro from 2002-07.
- Following the Eastern Michigan Duals, Mike DePalma was named MAC Wrestler of the Week for a 3-0 day with a 4-3 upset of No. 4 Bryant Clagon of Rider.
- Kent State's seven straight years with at least one All-American is the 11th longest active streak in the nation.
Up Next
Seniors Mike DePalma and Tyler Buckwalter will participate in the Midlands Championships Dec. 29-30 on the campus of Northwestern University. A number of other Golden Flashes will take part in the Lock Haven Invitational Dec. 29.
Players Mentioned
