OSU Wrestling: Smith, Cowboys Preview Iowa Dual

Head coach John Smith and members of the top-ranked Oklahoma State wrestling team met with the media Wednesday afternoon to preview Sunday's dual against No. 3 Iowa at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
 
Head Coach John Smith
 
On where Iowa ranks as a rival for OSU wrestling:

"I think you could say that (it's bigger than Bedlam), just from the standpoint of the last 25 years of my career, one of the teams to beat was Iowa. We were one of them too, so for that reason it becomes a little bit more of an important dual meet."
 
On what he remembers from last season's historic Grapple on the Gridiron in Iowa City:

 "It was a great experience for our student-athletes. It could have been a lot better of an experience if we could have won. It wasn't our best effort, but it was a good dual meet and a good show. I think we've lost the last three dual meets in this matchup. If you're going to keep calling it a dual meet, you've got to start winning some."
 
On the differences of competing on a raised mat:

"It's pretty neat to watch it on a raised stage. That stage is what we wrestle on at the finals of the NCAA Championships. You like wrestling on a stage because it means you've done pretty well."
 
On if he expects a big turnout for Sunday's match:

"We'll have a great turnout. I'm excited about the opportunity for a nice, big dual meet. It will be nice if the weather cooperates for us, but either way, it's still going to be a match that we need to be ready for and we need to push hard for. They're a good team, and I think they'll compete for a championship at the end. We need to bring our best to the mat on Sunday."