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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Senior Pat Lugo wrapped his senior day with a fall and the top-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team wrapped its undefeated regular season (13-0) with a 34-6 win over No. 9 Oklahoma State on Sunday.
Lugo made short work in his home finale, decking No. 6 Boo Lewallen in two minutes, 21 seconds.
“Very special. My first pin in Carver actually. It was cool,” Lugo said. “There were a lot of fans cheering. It was a good night, but the job is not finished. We’ve got Big Tens, nationals. I want to get my hand raised, do the same thing in Minnesota.”
Lugo’s pin was one of two Hawkeye falls and one of six bonus-point victories. Iowa opened the dual with a combination of major decision, fall, major decision, fall. Iowa led 20-3 at intermission, and held a 28-point advantage by the end, matching its largest margin of victory over the Cowboys in 25 years.
“Get the bonus points. When you get the clamps on the guy you make him pay. There were some good things there,” said Iowa head coach Tom Brands.
Spencer Lee and Alex Marinelli both earned top 10 wins. Lee used one takedown, six nearfall points and three minutes of riding time to defeat No. 4 Nick Piccininni, 12-3, at 125. Marinelli exchanged escapes with No. 6 Travis Wittlake before breaking a 1-1 tie with a takedown in the final minute at 165.
Austin DeSanto won by fall, pinning No. 14 Reece Witcraft in two minutes, 38 seconds at 133. Max Murin scored five takedowns and a season-high 15 points in is 15-4 major decision over No. 12 Dusty Hone at 141. Michael Kemerer and Tony Cassioppi also won by major decision. Kemerer racked up five minutes of riding time in a 12-2 win over No. 13 Joe Smith at 174, and Cassioppi closed the dual with an 11-1 major at 285.
Jacob Warner also won by decision, 8-3, at 197. Oklahoma State won decisions at 157 and 184.
The dual was Iowa’s final home dual of the season. A single-season record 87,979 wrestling fans came through the gates of Carver-Hawkeye Arena in 2019-20, a new NCAA average attendance record of 12,568.
“We had a great schedule and our fans showed up from the get-go,” Brands said. “We had 10,000-plus for Chattanooga and we have to continue that next year. We have to get ready to give our fans something to be excited about going into this postseason and put some exclamation marks on these next two tournaments”
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Iowa competes at the 2020 Big Ten Championships in Piscataway, New Jersey, on Marcy 7-8. The NCAA Championships are March 19-21 in Minneapolis.
- The 28-point margin of victory ties for the fourth largest in the series against Oklahoma State, and matches the largest since a 31-3 victory in 1995.
- Iowa wrestlers finished the dual season with a combined 108-22 record.
- Iowa completed its 22nd undefeated season at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes are 262-25 since moving into the arena in 1983.
- Iowa set an NCAA average attendance record, averaging 12,568 in seven duals. The 87,979 fans through the gates is also a school single-season record.
- Spencer Lee scored bonus points for the 14th time in 15 matches. He outscored his opponents 183-13 in the regular season.
- Austin DeSanto earned his second pin of the season. He has scored bonus points in 11 of 14 wins.
- Pat Lugo improved to 9-1 against ranked opponent and earned his sixth top 10 win of the season.
- Marinelli earned his fourth top 10 win of the season.
- Michael Kemerer improved to 13-0 and has won 32 straight duals.
#1 IOWA 34, #9 Oklahoma State 6
125 — #1 Spencer Lee (IA) major dec. #4 Nick Piccininni (OKST), 12-3; 4-0
133 — #3 Austin DeSanto (IA) pinned #14 Reece Witcraft (OKST), 2:39; 10-0
141 — #5 Max Murin (IA) major dec. #12 Dusty Hone (OKST), 15-4; 14-0
149 — #2 Pat Lugo (IA) pinned #6 Boo Lewallen (OKST), 2:21; 20-0
157 — #19 Wyatt Sheets (OKST) dec. #5 Kaleb Young (IA), 9-4; 20-3
165 — #2 Alex Marinelli (IA) dec. #6 Travis Wittlake (OKST), 3-2; 23-3
174 — #1 Michael Kemerer (IA) major dec. #13 Joe Smith (OKST), 12-2; 27-3
184 — #14 Anthony Montalvo (OKST) dec. Nelson Brands (IA), 8-2; 27-6
197 — #6 Jacob Warner (IA) dec. #16 Dakota Greer (OKST), 8-3; 30-6
285 — #3 Tony Cassioppi (IA) major dec. Austin Harris (OKST), 11-1; 34-6
Records: Iowa (13-0), Oklahoma State (13-3)
Attendance: 13,109
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