JimBob
03-08-2008, 08:21 AM
Big 12 seeding puts OSU in tough spot
By MATT DOYLE World Sports Writer
3/8/2008
John Smith has crunched the numbers entering Saturday's Big 12 Wrestling Championships in Stillwater.
The math reveals a stark reality to the Oklahoma State wrestling coach. Smith believes the Cowboys could finish fourth in the five-team event.
For the first time since Smith can remember, he has more wrestlers who are seeded fifth (four) than first (two) in the conference tournament. After Saturday's 11 a.m. pigtail round between the fourth- and fifth-seeded wrestlers, Smith could have a strong indication of his team's chances to win not only the Big 12 title but also of how they may fare at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis.
OSU's No. 5 seeds -- 149-pounder Ryan Freeman, 157-pounder Newly McSpadden, 184-pounder Jack Jensen and 197-pounder Clayton Foster -- likely will have to finish third at the Big 12 to automatically earn a trip to St. Louis. One or possibly two of those wrestlers could earn one of the eight wild-card berths allotted to the Big 12.
But Smith has never enjoyed the wild-card vote and prefers his wrestlers earn that NCAA berth. It's an uphill challenge, Smith said.
"We have an opportunity. That's all you hope from this team right now. It's a tough tournament. When there's only five teams, you don't get a lot of help," Smith said. "With this situation we have to focus on closing that gap and the only way to do that is win matches. It takes 10 guys participating. If you're going to win the tournament you can't have five guys taking fifth."
Because the competition is so tightly balanced at a few of the 10 weight classes, attaining bonus points will be tough in Smith's estimation. But in the last month he has emphasized the need for OSU to stretch leads when the opportunity exists.
"That's one thing we've excelled at when we were winning titles. We were always getting bonus points," said Coleman Scott, who is the top seed at 133 pounds.
"You just have to keep going and extending your leads and breaking people. That's what we seem to do, peaking at the right time and doing that to guys at the end of the year."
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Hall of Fame open during tournament
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum will extend its hours of operation for Saturday’s Big 12 Wrestling Championships in Stillwater. The museum will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Of particular interest to wrestling fans is an exhibit the Hall of Fame has developed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of African- American NCAA Champions.
Two native Oklahomans, Cleo McGlory, the University of Oklahoma’s first black NCAA wrestling champion, and Kenny Monday, the United States’ first black Olympic gold medalist, will be available to sign autographs between sessions Saturday at the Hall of Fame.
The exhibit celebrates 50 years of success by black wrestlers since Simon Roberts, the first black national champion, claimed his title at 147 pounds in 1957 for Iowa.
By MATT DOYLE World Sports Writer
3/8/2008
John Smith has crunched the numbers entering Saturday's Big 12 Wrestling Championships in Stillwater.
The math reveals a stark reality to the Oklahoma State wrestling coach. Smith believes the Cowboys could finish fourth in the five-team event.
For the first time since Smith can remember, he has more wrestlers who are seeded fifth (four) than first (two) in the conference tournament. After Saturday's 11 a.m. pigtail round between the fourth- and fifth-seeded wrestlers, Smith could have a strong indication of his team's chances to win not only the Big 12 title but also of how they may fare at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis.
OSU's No. 5 seeds -- 149-pounder Ryan Freeman, 157-pounder Newly McSpadden, 184-pounder Jack Jensen and 197-pounder Clayton Foster -- likely will have to finish third at the Big 12 to automatically earn a trip to St. Louis. One or possibly two of those wrestlers could earn one of the eight wild-card berths allotted to the Big 12.
But Smith has never enjoyed the wild-card vote and prefers his wrestlers earn that NCAA berth. It's an uphill challenge, Smith said.
"We have an opportunity. That's all you hope from this team right now. It's a tough tournament. When there's only five teams, you don't get a lot of help," Smith said. "With this situation we have to focus on closing that gap and the only way to do that is win matches. It takes 10 guys participating. If you're going to win the tournament you can't have five guys taking fifth."
Because the competition is so tightly balanced at a few of the 10 weight classes, attaining bonus points will be tough in Smith's estimation. But in the last month he has emphasized the need for OSU to stretch leads when the opportunity exists.
"That's one thing we've excelled at when we were winning titles. We were always getting bonus points," said Coleman Scott, who is the top seed at 133 pounds.
"You just have to keep going and extending your leads and breaking people. That's what we seem to do, peaking at the right time and doing that to guys at the end of the year."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hall of Fame open during tournament
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum will extend its hours of operation for Saturday’s Big 12 Wrestling Championships in Stillwater. The museum will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Of particular interest to wrestling fans is an exhibit the Hall of Fame has developed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of African- American NCAA Champions.
Two native Oklahomans, Cleo McGlory, the University of Oklahoma’s first black NCAA wrestling champion, and Kenny Monday, the United States’ first black Olympic gold medalist, will be available to sign autographs between sessions Saturday at the Hall of Fame.
The exhibit celebrates 50 years of success by black wrestlers since Simon Roberts, the first black national champion, claimed his title at 147 pounds in 1957 for Iowa.