The Missouri team is looking to rebound from its loss Sunday to Iowa State.
Raymond Jordan knows all about perseverance.
Jordan’s parents both died before he was 7 and his grandmother,
who took care of him after the death of his parents, died when he was in junior high. But, Jordan, the Missouri wrestling team’s starter at 184 pounds, said that adversity only made him stronger, and that the tough time the Tigers are going through will only make them stronger, too.
“The more adversity you go through, the stronger it makes you,” he said. “I feel like (Sunday’s loss to Iowa State) was just going through adversity, and it’s going to make us stronger.”
Iowa State won seven of 10 matches Sunday, handing Missouri its first Big 12 Conference dual loss. With the win, the Cyclones took over the No. 2 spot in national rankings released Tuesday, with the Tigers dropping to No. 3.
“We were down after that loss,” Jordan said. “But, I think we’re past the down part, and feeling bad about it, and are back focused, getting ready, looking towards March.”
Missouri (11-2) wrestles against Old Dominion (12-6) at 8 tonight at Hearnes Center.
All eyes will be on Tigers 197-pounder Max Askren, as he looks to bounce back from his stunning loss by pin to the Cyclones’ Kurt Backes on Sunday.
Askren will take on Old Dominion’s top wrestler, David Mendoza. Mendoza enters the match with a 29-7 record and leads the Monarchs with 11 pins, but Missouri coach Brian Smith said Askren, who dropped to No. 2 at 197 pounds, will be ready to get back on track.
“(Max) is doing fine,” Smith said. “He’ll be focused to go out there and wrestle hard tomorrow, and get back on the horse, get back out there and wrestle and get a win.”
Old Dominion, which does not have any ranked wrestlers, also could challenge the Tigers at 141 pounds where Ryan Williams is 24-8, and at 157 pounds where Chris Brown is 30-11.
Missouri 133-pounder Tyler McCormick is still dealing with the flu that kept him out of both of the Tigers’ duals over the weekend, and is unlikely to wrestle tonight. Smith said 157-pounder Michael Chandler, who has been out with an ankle injury, was ready to return to the lineup tonight but woke up this morning feeling “sick as a dog” and is questionable. Smith said the flu has spread throughout his team, and he is uncertain about who will wrestle tonight.
“We have about eight guys now, some starters some not, with the flu,” he said. “The flu is just ripping through us right now. I’m weighing-in a few guys at every weight tomorrow, and we’ll see what we have left.”
Meanwhile, Jordan, ranked fifth at 184 pounds, says he is motivated to finish the season strong.
He had a huge win Sunday, beating No. 6 Jake Varner 6-4 by scoring a takedown with 25 seconds left in the match, but said he wasn’t completely satisfied with his wrestling against Iowa State.
“I was disappointed and pleased at the same time,” said. “I was disappointed with the fact that I wrestled his match, but I was happy that I wrestled his match and was still able to win.”
Jordan said he is determined to wrestle his best down the stretch and is eager to make for last season’s disappointing showing at nationals, where he went 2-2 and was eliminated Kent State’s Alex Camargo.
“All I have to do is think back last year and the loss that eliminated me,” Jordan said. “That’s all the motivation I need.”