Nationally Televised Bedlam Match Tabbed as Home Dual Finale

OU Notes

The Basics
The 10th-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team (12-2 overall; 7-1 Big 12) hosts its final home dual of the season at 1 p.m. on Sunday inside Gallagher-Iba Arena when the in-state rival Sooners pay a visit to Stillwater. The weekend dual is host to a number of festivities including Cowboy Wrestling alumni day, senior day and the recognition of this year's Gallagher Award winner, Jim Rogers. It marks the second meeting between the Cowboys and Sooners this season.

Dual Details
Dates/Times:
vs. Oklahoma - Feb. 16, 2020/1 p.m. CST
Location: Gallagher-Iba Arena, Stillwater, Okla.

Watch: ESPNU
Listen: Hot 93.7 KSPI-FM
Live Stats: Trackwrestling.com

The Series
The Bedlam dual series dates back to 1920, a bout that Oklahoma State won a staggering 50-0 in Stillwater. OSU leads the all-time rivalry series 142-27-10. Sunday's dual marks the 179th time the two teams have met for dual competition. In 2018, the Cowboys claimed all but one bout against the Sooners to upend OU in Stillwater, 41-2, marking the largest Bedlam wrestling deficit since a 1992 meeting in Norman. Lou Rosselli is 0-5 against the Cowboys since taking over the program in 2016. OSU leads OU 77-12-2 in Stillwater. The Cowboys' most recent loss to Oklahoma at home was in 1995.

An Oklahoma State Win against Oklahoma Would…
• Move the Cowboys to 13-2 on the season
• Push OSU's home dual record this season to 8-0
• Mark a second-consecutive undefeated home dual season for the Pokes
• Give the Pokes their eighth Big 12 dual win
• Mark OSU's 11th straight win over the Sooners
• Advance Smith's head career coaching record to 439-64-6

Cowboys in the Polls
The Cowboys have ranked wrestlers at each weigh with the exception of 285 pounds in various polls. Across the boards, senior Nick Piccininni holds the fourth-ranked 125-pound spot after collecting one technical fall over the weekend and a decision. Boo Lewallen dropped one spot to No. 6 after Princeton's Matt Kolodzik came out of his Olympic redshirt and jumped to No. 4. After making his way into the rankings a week ago, Wyatt Sheets dropped out of the Intermat polls following a technical fall and shutout decision on the Cowboy's trip west. At 165 pounds, Travis Wittlake held his position in the Intermat rankings at No. 7 this week, and Joe Smith also remained at No. 10 in the 174-pound polls. Anthony Montalvo climbed one spot in the rankings this week coming in at No. 15. Cowboy Dakota Geer landed at No. 14 following a loss, and Dusty Hone is ranked in all but one set of rankings coming in as high as No. 16 at 141 pounds. Reece Witcraft collected a win at 133 pounds over eighth-ranked Montorie Bridges in Wyoming but was left out of the Intermat rankings, coming in at No. 18 in Flo's polls.

Nick's Knacks
Senior Nick Piccininni notched his 100th career victory in the OSU orange singlet on Jan. 18 against the Pittsburgh Panthers inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. He became just the 44th Poke in the history of the program to reach the milestone, joining current Cowboy Kaid Brock. Piccininni is 22-1 on the season with three ranked wins and leads the Pokes in several statistical categories. The senior has 17 bonus-point wins to his name and leads all Pokes with nine technical falls and owns a team leading 19 dual nearfalls. His 60 dual points are the most of any starter this season. His three ranked wins have each come with bonus points attached. Piccininni, a four-year staple in the lineup, will leave OSU with a 26-4 record inside Gallagher-Iba Arena with a win over OU's Christian Moody. The senior will seek his fourth individual Big 12 title next month with hopes of becoming a three-time All-American for the Cowboys.

Winning Wittlake
Redshirt freshman Travis Wittlake has been a force for the Cowboys in his first year in the lineup. The 165-pounder leads all Cowboys with 24 victories on the year and only one loss. He sits at No. 7 in the country with wins against four ranked opponents, including No. 8, No. 10 and No. 11, twice. The Coos Bay, Ore., native is the only Cowboy in the starting rotation with a flawless dual record.

What to Watch
The Cowboys are coming off dominant performances at Air Force and Wyoming and look to remain perfect inside Gallagher-Iba Arena this season with Bedlam win finale. Freshman Reece Witcraft has a rematch Sunday with No. 15 Anthony Madrigal. The freshman Cowboy topped Madrigal in the pair's first meeting of the season, 6-5, in Norman. Wyatt Sheets looks to take a lead in the series with No. 20 Justin Thomas. Sheets topped Thomas in 2016 at the OCU Open but dropped his bout with the Sooner in December, 5-3. No. 10 Joe Smith faces No. 17 Anthony Mantanona in the 174-pound match. Smith and Mantanona have met once before with Smith winning a 14-7 decision. The final ranked bout will take place at 197 pounds, where Dakota Geer and No. 19 Jake Woodley meet for the second time this season. Geer topped Woodley in the first meeting, 4-2.

Tune In
Fans can follow the Bedlam dual action with @CowboyWrestling on Twitter, watch live on ESNPU or follow the live stats at Trackwrestling.com. Rex Holt and Roger Moore will be live on the call over on Hot 97.3 KSPI-FM beginning prior to the 1 p.m. match.

Nationally Televised Bedlam Match Tabbed as Home Dual Finale

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Kaid Brock

Dakota Geer

Dusty Hone

Boo Lewallen

Anthony Montalvo

Nick Piccininni

Wyatt Sheets

Joe Smith

Reece Witcraft

Travis Wittlake

Oklahoma State University Athletics