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  • Oklahoma State's Jordan Oliver takes Binghamton's Patrick Hunter to the mat in Sunday's match at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Oliver picked up a pin over Hunter and another one over Bucknell's Shawn Armato in a triangular. The No. 1 ranked Cowboys defeated No. 19 Binghamton 35-3 and unranked Bucknell 35-6.

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February 3, 2012

Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith looks for consistency.

By Chris Day Stillwater NewsPress

STILLWATER, Okla. — Oklahoma State hasn’t wrestled a Top-15 opponent in nearly a month, but that ends today when the Cowboys wrestlers start the toughest stretch of their schedule with a noon dual at Missouri.

The grind starts in February. The Pokes (11-0, 3-0 Big 12) will face the No. 13 Tigers (11-2, 2-1 Big 12) twice — today and Feb. 24. They play host to some of the best wrestling teams in the nation on Feb. 12 in a regional for the National Duals and travel to Oklahoma on Feb. 16 for the second Bedlam dual.

Since their Jan. 7 17-16 win over then-No. 1 Iowa, the Pokes have soundly defeated Arizona State, Iowa State, North Carolina State, No. 19 Binghamton and Bucknell.

Oklahoma State coach John Smith knew the No.-1 ranked Cowboys were facing lesser opponents but was satisfied with his team’s domination of those teams.

“It was a good outing for us,” Smith said after the Pokes defeated Binghamton and Bucknell 35-3 and 35-6, respectively. “It definitely gets a lot tougher from here on out.”

The Cowboys are ranked No. 1 based on their record in duals, but Smith said his team needs one or two wrestlers to step forward in the next month for the Pokes to have a shot at their 35th NCAA championship. The tournament is scheduled March 15-17 in St. Louis, Mo.

OSU’s defending national champion Jordan Oliver is ranked No. 1 and locked into the lineup at 133 pounds, Smith said.

Heavyweight Alan Gelogaev, 174-pounder Chris Perry and 149-pounder Jamal Parks haven’t lost a bout so far this season. Parks is No. 2 while Gelogaev and Perry are No. 3.

Smith said he felt good about those weights, but 165, 184 and 197 are concerns.

“I’m still evaluating. This time of year you are looking for consistency,” Smith said.

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