OU and MSU in Sunday Showdown

Feb. 13, 2009

No. 12 Wrestling at Michigan State
Date	Sunday, Feb. 15 at 12 p.m. CST
Location	East Lansing, Mich.
Venue	Jenison Field House
Opponent	Michigan State Spartans (6-6 overall)

NORMAN, Okla. – The 12th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling squad (15-3, 1-3) will look to bounce back after a pair of Big 12 losses when it hits the road for a non-conference contest versus Michigan State (6-6) this Sunday, Feb. 15, at 12 p.m. CST.

The Sooners were off to their best start in program history before falling to two top-five Big 12 teams last weekend. The fifth-ranked Missouri Tigers defeated OU, 18-12, on Feb. 6, followed by fourth-ranked Nebraska edging the Sooners, 18-15, on Feb. 8.

Oklahoma is a perfect 14-0 against non-conference opponents this season, and is a winner of 16 straight dating back to the end of last year's campaign.

In the all-time series versus Michigan State, OU leads by a commanding 36-7 margin. The last meeting between the schools was last season in Norman, when the Sooners dominated by a 29-7 final.

Oklahoma travels to East Lansing, Mich., with seven wrestlers ranked in this week's national rankings, including three in the top 10. Kyle Terry, a winner of 21-straight matches dating back to Nov. 8, is ranked No. 6 at 141 pounds, followed by 125-pound Joey Fio, ranked seventh. Jeff James is No. 8 at 174 pounds, Eric Lapotsky is No. 11 at 197 and 157-pound Shane Vernon is No. 15. Heavyweight Nathan Fernandez (No. 16) and 184-pound Pat Flynn (No. 19) round out the group of ranked Sooners.

The Spartans are led by No. 6 Franklin Gomez at 133 pounds, the only MSU wrestler ranked this week.

Probable Sooner Starters (Weight)	Hometown (Year)	Record
No. 7 Joey Fio (125)	Sandpoint, Idaho (So.)	17-3
David Armstrong (133)	Cleveland, Ohio (Sr.)	12-7
Seth Vernon (141)	Tulsa, Okla. (RFr.)	14-7
No. 6 Kyle Terry (149)	Midwest City, Okla. (RJr.)	23-1
Chad Terry (157)	Midwest City, Okla. (RJr.)	16-4
Derek Peperas(165)	Santa Fe, N.M. (RFr.)	3-2
No. 8 Jeff James (174)	El Reno, Okla. (RSo.)	20-3
No. 19 Pat Flynn (184)	Quakertown, Pa. (RSo.)	22-4
No. 11 Eric Lapotsky (197)	Mt. Carmel, Pa. (Jr.)	21-5
No. 16 Nathan Fernandez (HWT)	Lawton, Okla. (RSo.)	19-7

SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE

The Michigan State Spartans, members of the Big 10 Conference, own a 6-6 record this season, including a 5-3 record on the road. In East Lansing, they are 1-3 and have dropped two straight, most recently against in-state rival Michigan (28-7) on Feb. 8.

MSU's most impressive win this season came against Wisconsin, currently ranked No. 18, by a 25-17 final tally. Oklahoma will be the sixth ranked team the Spartans have faced this season. MSU's win over Wisconsin on Jan. 30 was its only win against the nation's best (1-4).

The Spartans are led by junior Franklin Gomez, ranked seventh at 133 pounds. Gomez has tallied a 14-2 overall record this season, including a 10-2 dual mark.

Tom Minkel is in his 17th season at Michigan State and has tallied a 128-152-3 overall record. Minkel, a 1971 Central Michigan graduate, is assisted by Roger Chandler and Chris Williams.

SOONERS AND SPARTANS HISTORY

Oklahoma leads by a commanding 36-7 margin versus Michigan State in the all-time series. The last meeting between the schools was last season in Norman, when the Sooners dominated by a 29-7 final.

Three current Sooner starters (Joey Fio, Chad Terry and Nathan Fernandez) recorded a win in last year's matchup on Jan. 12, 2008. The Spartans won two matches on the afternoon, including Gomez at 133 pounds and Nick Palmieri at 174.

RANKINGS RUNDOWN

Oklahoma bolsters seven in the Top 25 Intermat rankings this week, including three in the top eight. Kyle Terry leads all Sooners ranked No. 6 at 149 pounds. Terry, a Midwest City, Okla., native has strung together 21 straight wins heading to East Lansing this weekend.

Joey Fio is No. 7 at 125 pounds and Jeff James (174 pounds) is ranked eighth. Eric Lapotsky is No. 11 at 197 pounds, Shane Vernon is No. 15 at 157 pounds and heavyweight Nathan Fernandez is No. 16. Pat Flynn rounds out the group of nationally-ranked Sooners, slotted No. 19 among 184-pounders.

The Spartans have one ranked this week, as Franklin Gomez is No. 6 at 133 pounds.

NON-CONFERENCE DOMINANCE

Oklahoma is currently on a 16-match win streak versus opponents outside the Big 12 Conference. Last season, OU defeated Arizona State and Cal Poly at the end of the year and are a perfect 14-0 in 2009 against out of conference foes. Of those 16 wins, seven were at home, two on the road and seven on neutral sites.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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