OU Opens Big 12 Action Against Missouri

Nov. 17, 2011

No. 12 Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Missouri
Date & Time	Nov. 18, 2011 at 7 p.m.
Location	Norman, Okla. \| McCasland Field House
Internet	Live Stats \| Webcast
Match Info	2011-12 Roster \| Oklahoma Coaching Staff
Tickets	Ticket Information
Schedule	2011-12 Sooner wrestling schedule
Promotions	• Give Back Night • Free popcorn with non-perishable food donation

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma's 12th-ranked wrestling squad opens the Big 12 season when it hosts No. 9 Missouri on Friday, Nov. 18, inside McCasland Field House.

The Sooners (1-0) are coming off their 13th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic team championship last weekend in Brockport, N.Y. OU ran away with the title with 182 points and out-paced second place Maryland (174.5). Winning individual titles were Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Jordan Keller (133), Kendric Maple (141), Matt Lester (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184).

“We feel this is going to be a good match even though we are going to be a little short-handed at 197 pounds,” head coach Mark Cody said. “What we need to do is try to make up for it throughout the rest of the match. Like every match, we have to win the close ones, get majors and pins where we can. If we do that we will come out on top. I have confidence in our conditioning and wrestling abilities going into tomorrow. I feel we are in great shape and feel confident heading into the dual.”

The Sooners will be without the services of Keldrick Hall who will be held out of the Friday's dual serving a one match suspension.

Last season, the Sooners caged the Tigers 18-12 in Norman. Oklahoma holds a 41-8 advantage all-time against Missouri.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets are still available for purchase. Season tickets and single-meet tickets are on sale online or by calling the OU Athletics Ticket Office at (405) 325-2424 or toll-free at (800) 456-GoOU.

RANKINGS RUNDOWN

Six Sooners are ranked by InterMat, headlined by returning All-American Jarrod Patterson, ranked No. 3 at 125 pounds. Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year, is ranked No. 8 at 141 pounds. Jordan Keller is No. 11 at 133 pounds, while Matt Lester (157 pounds) is No. 12. Nick Lester is the 14th-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds and two-time NCAA Qualifier, Erich Schmidtke, rounds out ranked Sooners at No. 18 among 184 pounders.

Missouri counters with six ranked wrestlers of their own heading into Friday's showdown. Fifth ranked 125-pounder Alan Waters leads ranked Tigers, followed by Dorian Henderson (174) ranked No 6. Kyle Bradley (149), Brent Haynes (197), Zach Toal (165) and Nathan McCormick (133) check in at No. 11, 12, 13 and 14 among their respective weight classes.

Sooner Participants (Weight)	Hometown (Year)	Record
Jarrod Patterson (125)	Cushing, Okla. (Jr.)	5-0
Jordan Keller (133)	Wichita, Kan. (Sr.)	5-0
Kendric Maple (141)	Wichita, Kan. (RSo.)	4-0
Nick Lester (149)	Eureka, Mo. (RSo.)	4-1
Matt Lester (157)	Eureka, Mo. (RSo.)	3-1
Bubby Graham -or- Chase Nelson (165)	Annapolis, MD (RJr.)/Wichita, Kan. (Jr.)	3-2/7-2
Nolan McBryde -or- Andrew Spangler (174)	Eagle River, Alaska (RSo.)/Naperville, Ill. (Fr.)	1-3/4-1
Erich Schmidtke (184)	Aberdeen, Wash. (RJr.)	4-0
Elijah Madison (HWT)	Kansas City, Mo. (Jr.)	3-2

SOONER WRESTLING NOTES

LAST ACTION
OU won its 13th-straight Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic team championship last weekend in Brockport, N.Y. The Sooners ran away with the title with 182 points and out-paced second place Maryland (174.5). Winning individual titles were Jarrod Patterson (125 pounds), Jordan Keller (133), Kendric Maple (141), Matt Lester (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184).

SERIES RECORD VS. MISSOURI
OU is riding a two match win streak over the Tigers heading into Friday's match. Last season, the Sooners caged the Tigers 18-12 in Norman. Oklahoma holds a 41-8-0 advantage all-time against Missouri.

Sooner to Watch
	Jarrod Patterson \| So. \| 125 pounds \| No. 3 Patterson, a seventh place finisher at the 2011 NCAA Championships, takes on Missouri's Alan Waters, ranked No. 5. Last season, Patterson edged Waters by a 3-2 decision.

SCOUTING MISSOURI
The Tigers finished 19th at the NCAA Championships last year with a 15-9 overall record. Missouri placed second at the Big 12 Championships and returns eight starters from the previous season, seven of which were NCAA qualifiers.

RETURNING QUALIFIERS
OU returns seven NCAA qualifiers and adds another in transfer Bubby Graham. Highlighting the returning group is 2011 All-American Jarrod Patterson (125), who collected a 29-9 overall record last season.

Other returning starters that qualified for the NCAA Championships include Jordan Keller (133), Matt Lester (149 pounds), Chase Nelson (157) and Erich Schmidtke (184) and Kendric Maple, a 2009-10 NCAA qualifier that redshirted last year.

BUBBY A SOONER
OU adds another NCAA qualifier in American transfer Bubby Graham. The talented wrestler from Annapolis, Md., looks to anchor the 165 pound spot for the Sooners. Graham was a two year starter for the Eagles where he competed at 157 and 165 pounds.

CREDENTIALED EVENT
All OU wrestling matches are ticketed and credentialed. Credentials can be picked up at the west side entrance to McCasland Field House.

UP NEXT...
The Sooners continue Big 12 action when they travel to Ames, Iowa, to take on the 23rd-ranked Iowa State Cyclones on Sunday, Nov. 27.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU Opens Big 12 Action Against Missouri

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