Photo Gallery

FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota State University raced out to a fast start, but needed a strong finish to shut the door for a 29-16 win over the University of Northern Colorado in a Big 12 Conference dual on Friday, Jan. 6, before 452 spectators in the Scheels Center at the Sanford Health Athletic Complex. It was the sixth straight dual win of the season for the Bison.

NDSU improved to 7-1 overall and 2-1 in the Big 12. The Bison host Boise State (1-2, 0-0 Pac 12) in a non-conference dual at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, in the Scheels Center. The Broncos lost 37-3 at South Dakota State on Friday night.

The Bison won four of the first five matches to build a 16-4 lead, but Northern Colorado (0-3, 0-2 Big 12) stormed back with a pair of pins from Keilan Torres and Dylan Gabel to close the deficit to 20-16 with two matches remaining.

That's where North Dakota State 197-pounder Cordell Eaton and 285 Ben Tynan took over. Eaton, a redshirt freshman from Long Grove, Iowa, grinded out a 4-1 decision over UNC's Jamarcus Grant, while senior Tynan recorded his third fall of the season at 5:30 over Jack Kuck to snuff out the Bears threat. Eaton is now 8-7 overall and 3-5 in duals, while Tynan has won 10 of 11 matches this season including 7 of 8 duals.

North Dakota State's No. 4-ranked 125-pound senior Josh Rodriguez hooked up with a former Western Wrestling Conference foe in Trey Andrews and fashioned a hard-fought 13-4 major decision. Rodriguez improved to 11-0 overall and 8-0 in duals. It was his first major decision of the season to go along with six tech falls and three pins.

It would be a preview of things to come as five of the seven Bison wins came via bonus points, major decision, tech fall or fall. Collectively, NDSU finished with 17-minutes and 43-seconds of riding time during the dual including 5:31 from Rodriguez.

North Dakota State upped its lead to 7-0 as 133-pound redshirt freshman Cam Sykora outlasted Rico Montoya 8-3. Sykora, a redshirt freshman from Wheaton, Minn., became eligible at the break and improved to 3-2 overall.

Northern Colorado's No. 18-ranked Timmy Box recorded a 13-3 major decision over Taylor Nein to trim the deficit to 7-4, but the Bison answered in a big way with 149 Mitch Friedman's 16-1 tech fall over Ben Polkowske and No. 16-ranked 157 Clay Ream's 16-5 major decision over Taylor Kinn to stretch the lead to 16-4. Friedman is now 9-5 overall and 3-2 in duals, while Ream stands at 13-2 overall including 8-0 in duals.

North Dakota State 174-pound redshirt sophomore Dylan Urbach interrupted UNC's rally with an impressive 17-3 major decision over Dalton Robertson. It was the first dual showing for Urbach, who improved to 6-3 overall.

FINAL: North Dakota State 29, Northern Colorado 16
Big 12 Conference Dual
Scheels Center, Fargo, ND
Friday, Jan. 6, 2017
Dual started at 125 pounds
125—#4 Josh Rodriguez (NDSU) major dec Trey Andrews (UNC), MD 13-4 / Bison 4-0
133—Cam Sykora (NDSU) dec Rico Montoya (UNC), 8-3 / Bison 7-0
141— #18 Timmy Box (UNC) major dec Taylor Nein (NDSU), MD 13-3 / Bison 7-4
149—Mitch Friedman (NDSU) tech fall Ben Polkowske (UNC), TF 16-1 / Bison 12-4
157—#16 Clay Ream (NDSU) major dec Tyler Kinn (UNC), MD 16-5 / Bison 16-4
165—Keilan Torres (UNC) fall Nick Mergen (NDSU), Fall 3:13 / Bison 16-10
174—Dylan Urbach (NDSU) major dec Dalton Robertson (UNC), MD 17-3 / Bison 20-10
184—Dylan Gabel (UNC) fall Tyler McNutt (NDSU), Fall 2:13 / Bison 20-16
197—Cordell Eaton (NDSU) dec Jamarcus Grant (UNC), 4-1 / Bison 23-16
285—Ben Tynan (NDSU) fall Jack Kuck (UNC), Fall 5:40 / Bison 29-16
Attendance—452