Fans can purchase a live video webcast for the entire Southern Scuffle through the UNC Greensboro website at www.uncgspartans.com or its associate website, www.southernscuffle.com, which will be the source for the most up-to-date results throughout the competition.
NOTES TO KNOW
Setting the Stage
Set up in a similar format to the NCAA Tournament, the Southern Scuffle will offer the Gophers an opportunity to gauge themselves in a championship-type atmosphere. A total of 32 schools from across the nation will be on hand. Each team may enter up to 15 wrestlers in the tournament with its top finisher in each weight class counting towards the team score.
Eight nationally-ranked teams and 67 individuals ranked in the top 20 of their respective weight classes are scheduled to compete in the Southern Scuffle. Top-ranked Missouri heads the list of teams traveling to Greensboro. The tournament will also feature four individuals who hold the top spot in their weight classes, two each from Minnesota and Missouri. Dustin Schlatter (149) and Cole Konrad (Hwt) represent the Gophers in that department, while brothers Ben and Max Askren, who wrestle at 174 and 197 pounds respectively, are the top-ranked Tigers.
Battle for the Top Billing
While they are not squaring off directly, Minnesota and Missouri will undoubtedly be battling for national supremacy in college wrestling. The Tigers currently claim the top spot in the USA Today/InterMat/NWCA Coaches' poll, while the Gophers are ranked second. The roles are reversed in the W.I.N Magazine poll, where Minnesota is No. 1 and Missouri No. 2.
The Best of the Rest
In addition to No. 1 Missouri and No. 2 Minnesota, six other teams ranked in the top 25 nationally will be featured at the 2006 Southern Scuffle. Here are the nationally-ranked teams who will be competing:
USA Today/InterMat/NWCA Top 25
1. Missouri
2. Minnesota
12. Edinboro
13. Cornell
18. Tennessee-Chattanooga
19. Ohio State
23. Lehigh
24. Pittsburgh
Match-ups We'd Like to See
With so many top teams and individuals competing, there are a number of marquee match-ups that could potentially occur. Here is a look at the most intriguing potential match-ups for the Golden Gophers:
125 -- #9 Jayson Ness vs. #7 Tanner Gardner (Stanford)
This would be a rematch of the championship bout at the season--opening Bison Open, where Gardner narrowly defeated Ness, 1-0. Ness would also like to see either of the other two wrestlers in the tournament who are ranked above him to see where he stacks up at this early venture in his career.
141 -- #5 Manuel Rivera vs. #17 Michael Keefe (UT-Chattanooga)
While Rivera is the favorite to win the 141--pound weight class, he is still not a household name on the national scene. A victory over Keefe would not only avenge a loss at last year's Northeast Duals, it would also signify the progression he has made. Rivera would also like to avenge a 2005 loss to Brad Canterbury of Navy.
149 -- #1 Dustin Schlatter vs. #3 Gregor Gillespie (Edinboro)
Schlatter would like to send a statement that he is the top 149-pounder in the nation. While he defeated No. 2 Matt Storniolo at the NWCA All--Star Classic, the match did not count towards their official records. This would be Schlatter's stiffest regular season test so far this year.
157 -- Tyler Safratowich vs. #17 Josh Zupancic (Stanford)
After battling top--ranked Trent Paulson of Iowa State in the Gophers' last dual, the road does not get any easier for Safratowich, as he has No. 2 Brian Stith of Arizona State to look forward to. Nothing would do more for his confidence than defeating Zupancic to avenge his only loss at the season-opening Bison Open, which came in the semifinals.
174 -- #8 Gabriel Dretsch vs. #1 Ben Askren (Missouri)
Facing the top-ranked wrestler in the nation is always exciting. Askren is the defending national champion at 174 pounds and is the outright favorite to claim the title again this year. Dretsch has been wrestling very well as of late, providing a couple of clutch victories in Minnesota's last two dual meets.
184 -- #2 Roger Kish vs. #3 Mike Pucillo (Ohio State)
While he lost to Northwestern's Jake Herbert at the NWCA All-Star Classic, Kish is still undefeated officially and would like to send a statement that he is still a top contender at 184 pounds. With both conference and national implications, this potential match-up could further influence a three--way rivalry among the big three in the Big Ten.
Hwt -- #1 Cole Konrad vs. #8 Ed Prendergast (Navy) or #9 Spencer Nadolsky (UNC)
A top 10 wrestler would be a welcome challenge for Konrad. While he has had a couple of close matches this year, it's safe to say we have yet to see his best performance, which he usually saves for the best competition.
Looking Ahead
Following the Southern Scuffle, the Golden Gophers will return home for the new year and will get right back into dual meet action on Jan. 2 by hosting Arizona State. The Gophers will then have nearly two weeks off before they travel to Cedar Rapids, Iowa where they will look to defend their National Duals title from a year ago.
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