The Tigers were in a tight race for fourth and went two for two in the finals to finish there. They ended up finishing with seven placers and went 6-1 in medal matches. They were 9.5 points behind ASU and 7 points ahead of WVU. While the tournament didn’t feel like a great one for Mizzou, but a team finish like that feeling somewhat disappointing points to the team’s strength at their best. Unfortunately they only ended up with automatic qualifiers at 133, 174, 184, and heavyweight. All four of them had solid upsets and strong finishes.
They’re unlikely to get an At-Large at 141 with Hilton’s late entry into the lineup. Teague Travis finished one spot outside of the spots which helps his case. Mack Mauger and Josh Edmond were two spots out but won their placement matches and didn’t have “bad” losses that give them a decent shot. Max Mayfield didn’t place with only four spots, and might have a resume that’s too thin to get one. Evan Bates had a shocking 0-2 run, but has a very strong resume that I do think gets him in. The Tigers still have a decent chance to send at least seven to NCAA’s depending on upsets around the country.
125lbs: #29 Mack Mauger – Not Qualified, 7th Place (3-2)
– First Round: #29 Mack Mauger Maj. Tucker Owens (AF) (10-2)
– Quarterfinals: #6 Troy Spratley (OKST) Maj. #29 Mack Mauger (9-0)
– Consolations Round Two: #29 Mack Mauger Dec. An’ee Vigil (ASU) (7-2)
– Consolations Round Three: #21 Brady Roark (SDSU) Dec. #29 Mack Mauger (1-0)
– 7th Place Match: #29 Mack Mauger Dec. Tucker Owens (AF) (6-2)
Mauger finished his day with a solid win over Owens for the second time this tournament. Like the first match he had solid first and third period scores. It got a little worrisome as Owens was pushing the pace late but Mauger scored on a reattack to win. Mauger still needs an At-Large as there are only five qualifiers at this weight. He has a decent argument but will certainly depend on the rest of the country and is on the bubble.
