Welcome to part two of our three part series, previewing each weight class in the Big Ten Wrestling Tournament. Here's an inside look at the bracket seeds, analysis, and predictions in TKR’s middle weight preview for the Big Ten tournament this weekend.
*Disclaimer – predictions are assumed as if each wrestler wrestles through the tournament*
149-POUNDS…..
1. Sammy Sasso, OSU
2. Pat Lugo, IOWA
3. Brayton Lee, MINN
4. Kanen Storr, MICH
5. Graham Rooks, IND
6. Cole Martin, WIS
7. Collin Purinton, NEB
8. Jarod Verkleeren, PSU
9. Yahya Thomas, NU
10. Griffin Parriott, PUR
11. Gerard Angelo, RU
12. Alex Hrisopoulos, MSU
13. Mousa Jodeh, ILL
14. Ryan Garlitz, MD
THE FAVORITE: Sammy Sasso
THE DARK HORSE: Brayton Lee
THE SKINNY: Sammy Sasso comes into the 149-lb as the top seed, but is he by no means guaranteed to walk away with the crown on Sunday. On the opposite side of the bracket are two opponents that could meet in the semis, and possibly knock off Sasso, in Pat Lugo and Brayton Lee. Lugo was downed by Sasso 2 – 1 in ultimate tiebreaker during the regular season, and Lee actually defeated Sasso, 6 – 4. Lugo and Lee had a close math themselves, where Lugo beat Lee by one-point in a dual meet. Rutgers will have the ever-so-dangerous, Gerard Angelo, entered as the ten seed. Angelo needs to up-end only one seed to punch his ticket to Minneapolis. Angelo only has one win over an opponent that is seeded ahead of him, so finishing inside the top ten is not impossible. Angelo, if he loses his first round match to Cole Martin, will see Maryland’s Ryan Garlitz, then either Kanen Storr or Graham Rooks. Angelo did beat Rooks this year, but he was tech-falled by Storr.
TOP FOUR.....
Sasso
Lugo
Lee
Storr
NCAA BID ALLOCATIONS FOR BIG TEN: 10
DOES THE SCARLET KNIGHT ADVANCE? No
157-POUNDS…..
1. Ryan Deakin, NU
2. Kaleb Young, IOWA
3. Kendall Coleman, PUR
4. Will Lewan, MICH
5. Ryan Thomas, MINN
6. Jake Tucker, MSU
7. Peyton Robb, NEB
8. Eric Barone, ILL
9. Michael VanBrill, RU
10. Jahi Jones, MD
11. Elijah Cleary, OSU
12. Garrett Model, WIS
13. Bo Pipher, PSU
14. Fernie Silva, IND
THE FAVORITE: Ryan Deakin
THE DARK HORSE: Kendall Coleman
THE SKINNY: Though a finals match-up between Ryan Deakin and Kaleb Young is intriguing, 157-lbs is Deakin’s world, and everyone else is just living in it. Deakin is a perfect 18-0 this year, securing bonus points in 2/3rd of his matches. Young has three losses in the year, but none of them were to conference opponents. A quarter-final match between Young and Nebraska’s Peyton Robb could be a bracket buster, as Young narrowly defeated Robb 6 – 4. Purdue’s Kendal Coleman, who injury defaulted in the last match of the season, against Robb, quietly put together a good season. He kept Young to a one-point decision, and should not be overlooked.
TOP FOUR.....
Deakin
Young
Lewan
Coleman
NCAA BID ALLOCATIONS FOR BIG TEN: 6
DOES THE SCARLET KNIGHT ADVANCE? No
165-POUNDS…..
1. Vincenzo Joseph, PSU
2. Alex Marinelli, IOWA
3. Evan Wick, WIS
4. Isaiah White, NEB
5. Ethan Smith, OSU
6. Shayne Oster, NU
7. Danny Braunagel, ILL
8. Bailee O'Reilly, MINN
9. Drew Hughes, MSU
10. Kyle Cochran, MD
11. Brett Donner, RU
12. Tyler Meisinger, MICH
13. Tanner Webster, PUR
14. Diego Lemley, IND
THE FAVORITE: Vincenzo Joseph
THE DARK HORSE: Evan Wick
THE SKINNY: Next to 133, the 165-lbs bracket is one of the most intriguing in this tournament. The top three seeds of Vincenzo Joseph, Alex Marinelli, and Evan Wick all have the potential to win this bracket. Wick has given Marinelli plenty of tough go’s before, so there’s no guarantee that we see a Cenzo-Bull rematch in the finals. However, if that match does take place, it’s going to be very interesting as to who comes out on top. Marinelli never lost a match to Joseph, until this past season at Carver-Hawkeye arena. It’s not easy to beat someone as good as Marinelli two times in a row, though. There is a lot of talent in the rest of the field, most of which could make some noise at the NCAA tournament. But if all due respect to them, Joseph, Marinelli, and Wick are in a class of their own.
TOP FOUR.....
Marinelli
Joseph
Wick
White
NCAA BID ALLOCATIONS FOR BIG TEN: 8
DOES THE SCARLET KNIGHT ADVANCE? No
174-POUNDS…..
1. Michael Kemerer, IOWA
2. Mark Hall, PSU
3. Dylan Lydy, PUR
4. Devin Skatzka, MINN
5. Mikey Labriola, NEB
6. Kaleb Romero, OSU
7. Joey Gunther, ILL
8. Layne Malczewski, MSU
9. Tyler Morland, NU
10. Willie Scott, RU
11. Jared Krattiger, WIS
12. Philip Spadafora, MD
13. Max Maylor, MICH
THE FAVORITE: Michael Kemerer
THE DARK HORSE: Dylan Lydy
THE SKINNY: Michael Kemerer is not just the leader of the 174-lb weight class, he is the leader of an Iowa team vying for their first national title since 2010. Kemerer has accepted the challenge, and so far, has done an incredible job rising to the occasion. Mark Hall, who was arguably the favorite to win the 174-lb national title, had to drop a spot in the rankings after Kemerer dominated Hall in their first meeting. However, Penn State and Cael Sanderson do have the ability to make major adjustments. So, assuming Kemerer breezes his way to a title is probably not accurate. Dylan Lydy is someone to keep an eye on in this bracket, as well. Lydy went 28 – 1 on the year, with his only loss being an 8 – 4 decision to Kemerer. It is not unreasonable to think that Lydy can give Hall a run for his money in the semis.
TOP FOUR.....
Hall
Kemerer
Labriola
Lydy
NCAA BID ALLOCATIONS FOR BIG TEN: 9
DOES THE SCARLET KNIGHT ADVANCE? No
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