Coming off back-to-back home losses — including a 42-0 thumping at the hands of No. 14 Nebraska on Dec. 29, the worst loss in school history — the ASU wrestling squad looks to right the ship this Sunday at Wells Fargo Arena when they play host to conference foe Oregon State.
Despite the blowout to Nebraska and a 25-14 loss to previously winless Iowa St. on Jan 3., ASU (5-4, 1-0 Pac-12) also recently defeated Pac-12 rival Boise St. to earn their first conference win of the year.
A victory Sunday in the final match against the No. 15 Beavers (4-1, 3-0 Pac-12) would bump the team to a solid 2-0 mark in Pac-12 play, as well as boost the confidence of the talented but young Sun Devil team.
“(OSU) is bringing in a good team, so it’s going to be a tough challenge for our guys,” ASU assistant coach Travis Pascoe said. “I hope our guys are up for the challenge. Come Sunday, it’s time to go out there and compete hard.”
Oregon State is coming off a fifth-place finish at the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn., and is led by junior Mike Mangrum.
Mangrum, who competes at 141 pounds, finished first at last weekend’s tournament and is 24-2 on the season. He epitomizes a Beavers team that junior heavyweight All-American Levi Cooper describes as tough and persistent.
“Oregon State’s a good team, so we’re going to have to wrestle well,” Cooper said. “But a lot of our freshman are really progressing. For us, what we need more of is for guys to focus on just wrestling the best that they can.”
Although breaking the two-match losing streak at Wells Fargo is important, Cooper and company also realize this meeting with a conference foe is about more than just getting a win.
“There’s Pac-12 seeding on the line,” Cooper said. “Our guys have got to understand the importance of that.”
Pascoe echoed this sentiment: “We need our guys to win against Pac-12 opponents, because that will help them in the seeding for the Pac-12 tournament.”
With redshirt freshman composing the majority of the Sun Devils’ starting lineup, Pascoe also described how this Sunday is a gut check for ASU. Shane McGough and Tommy Burriel, who each recorded bonus point victories against the Cyclones and are two of the team’s top freshman, will be among a handful of youngsters tested this weekend.
“Shane and Tommy have really turned the page on how they’re supposed to train to be the best guy in the country,” Pascoe said. “They’ve both got really tough matchups this weekend and it’ll be a great duel for them to measure where they’re at.”
It is also important for ASU to learn from its opponent this weekend, as chances are the Sun Devils will be meeting some of the same Beavers come time for the Pac-12 tournament.
“There’s not going to be any surprises,” Pascoe said. “We want to see everybody, so that at the end of the year, when it counts the most, there’s no surprise.”
Sunday’s action is set to kick off at 2 p.m.
Reach the reporter at kjnewma2@asu.edu
