Mizzou Wrestling Extends Win Streak to Three Against West Virginia

Columbia, Mo. — No. 19 Mizzou wrestling shook off an early deficit in the lighter weights and roared past No. 16 West Virginia 26-13 on Sunday night, notching its third consecutive dual victory and improving to 11-7 overall and 4-2 in Big 12 competition.

The Mountaineers held a 12-5 advantage after the first four bouts, but the Tigers’ vaunted upper-weight corps—highlighted by Head Coach Brian Smith’s lineup juggernaut from 174 to 197 pounds—flipped the script in dramatic fashion.

Freshman Seth Mendoza sparked the comeback with an 18-3 technical fall over redshirt-freshman TJ Langley at 149 pounds, racking up three second-period takedowns and a late reversal to seal the rout. The performance continued a promising campaign for Mendoza, whose balance and mat awareness have drawn comparisons to former Tiger standout Aeoden Sinclair.

The swing continued at 165 pounds when No. 9 redshirt-junior Cam Steed needed just 24 seconds to pin No. 13 Brody Conley, electrifying the crowd and giving Mizzou its first lead of the night. Steed’s victory followed an injury-default win by redshirt-junior J Conway at 157, after West Virginia’s Shawn Taylor entered concussion protocol following a heavy takedown.

No. 3 redshirt-freshman Aeoden Sinclair followed with a gritty 2-1 decision over No. 20 Ian Bush, controlling riding time and denying Bush any escape in the second period. The bout was the evening’s tightest, but Sinclair’s relentless pressure proved decisive.

Senior Evan Bates clinched the dual at 184 pounds, using a pair of first-period takedowns to build a cushion en route to a 7-4 decision over No. 14 Rune Lawrence. Bates surrendered two stalling points but never relinquished control, showcasing the defensive poise that has become a hallmark of the Tiger lineup.

Redshirt-sophomore Jarrett Stoner closed the scoring at 197, topping freshman Brock Kehler 10-4 after building an early lead and countering Kehler’s desperation attacks.

Earlier, West Virginia’s lighter weights had threatened to steal momentum. No. 8 Jett Strickenberger edged redshirt-freshman Mack Mauger 4-1 at 125, No. 19 Gunner Andrick slipped past sophomore Gage Walker 4-2 at 133, and redshirt-senior Jordan Titus bested redshirt-junior Easton Hilton 4-2 at 141. No. 4 Ty Watters added a major decision at 165, shutting out No. 28 Teague Travis 8-0.

Yet the Tigers’ mid-to-upper-weight surge proved insurmountable, sending the home crowd into Hearnes Center’s final stretch with optimism. Mizzou now sets its sights on senior night, welcoming No. 18 Oklahoma on Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. for the program’s last home dual of the season.