‘Time to get tough’ for Hawks
The Hawkeyes are in a funk, but it’s not something Matt McDonough wants to hear about.
“It’s time to get tough,” McDonough said.
No. 6 Iowa (9-3, 4-2) hosts No. 3 Minnesota (9-2, 6-0) at 3 p.m. today riding a two-match losing streak for the first time under coach Tom Brands.
“This program hasn’t been there in a while and the feeling that goes with that … you don’t want to feel that way,” Brands said. “That’s where I’ll leave it.”
McDonough, the 125-pound junior, could set the tone today for the Hawkeyes with his showdown with top-ranked Zach Sanders (19-0).
“Every guy has got to go out there to be the best in the country,” McDonough said. “Not just to well, keep it a close match. No, you’ve got to go out there and wrestle the No. 1 guy in the country and plan on beating him, and beating him bad.”
That has been a good plan thus far for McDonough, who is 4-0 against Sanders.
In their last meeting, McDonough won 10-3. Their other three meetings — going backwards chronologically — were also wins for McDonough, an 8-0 major decision, a 13-2 major and a 6-4 decision.
“You’ve got to love the opportunity, love the chance,” McDonough said of wrestling No. 1 Sanders. “You go out with the mentality you are gong to battle for seven minutes. Its not going to be seven minutes of touchy-feely, its going to be going out there and I want to score some points right away; as soon as that whistle blows to the end.”
Not counting the big showdown, each team is favored at four weights, with an expected toss-up of unranked wrestlers at 157.
Brands isn’t thrilled with how close the two teams match up. Especially considering how Ohio State and Penn State took advantage of Iowa last weekend.
“Balance isn’t healthy for me,” Brands said. “We have to prove ourselves capable in tough matches. Lately it hasn’t happened.”
Tony Ramos (133), Montell Marion (141) are favored over redshirt freshmen. Mike Evans (165) and Ethan Lofthouse (174) also are favored for the Hawkeyes.
Dylan Ness (149), Kevin Steinhaus (184), Sonny Yohn (197) and Tony Nelson (285) are all favored for the Gophers.
While the 38-match Big Ten winning streak was broken last weekend, Iowa still has a 18-match winning streak in Big Ten duals at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Minnesota was the last league team to win in Iowa City, 29-13 back in 2007.
“You’ve seen our team perform well sometimes, the problem is, it hasn’t been enough,” Brands said. “Lack of consistency is what we’re missing. That’s what we’ve got to get.”
Iowa caps the Big Ten season next Sunday versus Wisconsin, then competes in the NWCA National Duals before the Big Ten Championships March 3-4 in West Lafayette, Ind.
“The main thing is we’re working towards the next goal,” McDonough said. “That’s Minnesota.”
Category: Wrestling
