One of 11 ranked squads competing in the annual event, the Tigers were assisted in the team standings with a third place finish from senior 157 pound grappler Michael Chandler (High Ridge, Mo.) as well as fourth place showings from senior Raymond Jordan (New Bern, N.C.) at 174 pounds, junior Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) at 197 pounds and redshirt freshman Dominique Bradley (Blue Springs, Mo.) at heavyweight.
Ellis advanced through the heavyweight championship bracket and battled with sixth-ranked Zach Sheaffer of Pitt in the finals. Ranked third by InterMat, Ellis held off his opponent, 2-1, to capture the title. The win was Ellis' 20th of the season and moves him to 57-24 on his career.
Chandler, who finished the competition with a 6-1 mark, was forced to the consolation bracket after suffering a loss to Iowa State's fifth-ranked Cyler Sanderson. The Tiger co-captain, ranked seventh in the nation, battled back to take third at 157 pounds.
Missouri's 165 pound competitor, junior Nicholas Marable (Collierville, Tenn.) took sixth in his weight class while teammates Todd Schavrien (Poway, Calif.) and Marcus Hoehn (Farmington, Mo.) took seventh at 133 and 141 pounds, respectively. Hoehn wrestled the most matches of his Tiger teammates, managing a 6-2 record that included a 15-7 win by major decision over Joel Trombly of Michigan State as well as a 5-2 win by decision over Indiana's Scott Kelly in the seventh place match.
Askren, who notched his 70th career victory by way of a 11-6 decision over Old Dominion's Jessie Strawn, aided Missouri's team standing with three bonus point victories. As a team, the Tigers combined for 13 bonus point wins.
Up next for Missouri, the Tigers will travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa for the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Duals beginning Saturday, Jan. 10.
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