OU Wrestlers Crush Michigan State

Feb. 24, 2000

NORMAN, Okla. - The fourth-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team won nine of 10 matches, including upsets by Witt Durden at 133 pounds and Orville Palmer at 197, to defeat seventh-ranked Michigan State, 31-5, in front of 755 fans at the OU Field House. The win moved OU to 17-4-1 on the season. Michigan State dropped to 10-5-1.

Durden won the dual's opening match, a 3-2 upset of second-ranked Pat McNamara. Durden took the lead with a first period takedown and never trailed. At 141 pounds, OU's Michael Lightner defeated Mike Castillo by major decision, 14-5, and Jared Frayer pinned Karl Nodolsky in 2:15 in the 149 pound bout. The Spartans' only win came at 157 pounds where Gray Maynard won by technical fall (6:30, 23-7) against Rosty Walker.

OU won the dual's final six matches. Robbie Waller decisioned Greg DeGrand, 4-3, at 165 pounds and top-ranked 174-pounder Byron Tucker beat Will Hill, 11-4. Tommy Grossman followed with a 7-2 win against James Brimm at 184 pounds. Palmer put the match away for the Sooners when he upset Nick Muzashvili, the nation's top-ranked wrestler at 197 pounds, 9-5. Heavyweight Brent Boeshans defeated Matt Lamb, 6-4 in sudden victory overtime, and 125-pounder Quantres Bates downed Chris Williams, 7-2, to close out the scoring.

"I felt that that we had the matchups and we're really coming on as a team," said Head Coach Jack Spates. "They don't come much bigger than this in terms of winning against a quality opponent, ranked seventh in the country, with that kind of domination."

Oklahoma will be back in action on Sunday, Mar. 5, when it travels to the Big 12 Tournament in Lincoln, Neb.

OKLAHOMA 31, MICHIGAN STATE 5

133:#16 Witt Durden, OU, dec. #2 Pat McNamara, MSU, 3-2
141:#2Michael Lightner, OU, maj. dec. Mike Castillo, MSU, 14-5
149:#7Jared Frayer, OU, fall Karl Nodolsky, MSU, 2:15
157:#10 Gray Maynard, MSU, tech. fall Rosty Walker, OU, 6:30 (23-7)
165:#9 Robbie Waller, OU, dec.#15 Greg DeGrand, MSU, 4-3
174:#1 Byron Tucker, OU, dec. #15 Will Hill, MSU, 11-4
184:#14 Tommy Grossman, OU, dec. James Brimm, MSU, 7-2
197:#5 Orville Palmer, OU, dec. #1 Nick Muzashvili, MSU, 9-5
HWT:Brent Boeshans, OU, dec. #16 Matt Lamb, MSU, 6-4
125:#3 Quantres Bates, OU, dec. #16 Chris Williams, MSU, 7-2

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OKLAHOMA 31, MICHIGAN STATE 5

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