OU's Dom Demas wins title, named top wrestler
TULSA — With a mostly orange crowd around him, Oklahoma freshman Dom Demas played to the villain status in the 141-pound finals against Bedlam rival Kaid Brock of Oklahoma State at the Big 12 wrestling championships. Demas attacked quickly and had Brock on the run, but soon, Brock was on his back and Demas was a Big 12 champion. The pin took just 54 seconds Sunday evening at the BOK Center, and ultimately helped him earn the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler honor. “It was pretty exciting being out there with everyone against you,” said Demas, who was the No. 3 seed entering the tournament. “I like being the guy that they don't want to win.” Five Sooners placed at the Big 12 championships, with 157-pound Justin Thomas finishing as runner-up. Davion Jeffries (149) and Jake Woodley (197) finished third, and 125-pound Christian Moody was fourth. Demas' pin helped the Sooners seal a fourth-place finish with 78 points, and sends him into the NCAA championships feeling good. “It gives me a lot of confidence being the Big 12 champ,” Demas said. “And I know this is gonna help my seeding in NCAAs a lot, too. But I gotta beat everyone if I want to win a national title anyway.”
Jacobe Smith avenges last year's loss to win title
Oklahoma State senior Jacobe Smith didn't need to watch tape of his 174pound semifinal loss to Northern Iowa's Taylor Lujan in last year's Big 12 championships. “I remember everything that happened. It plays back in my head, so I really don't need video,” Smith said after avenging that loss with a 6-4 decision in Sunday's finals at 174. “That played a big part in it. “I'm grateful. Last chance to go do it, and I got it done.”
Weigel helps case for national seeding
Limited by injury this season, OSU senior 197-pounder Preston Weigel doesn't have a lot of information for the NCAA seeding committee to use in determining where he'll fall in the bracket at the national tournament in two weeks. But Weigel gave them something to think about with his dominance Saturday and Sunday. His 10-0 major decision over Iowa State's Willie Miklus sealed Weigel's third Big 12 title, and concluded a weekend in which he outscored his opponents 41-0. OSU finished with nine automatic qualifiers out of the 10 weight classes, with 157 pounds being the only exception.
OSU championships by the numbers
Here's a look at some numbers regarding OSU's team title at the Big 12 championships on Sunday: 7: Consecutive conference tournament titles for OSU, the school's longest streak since winning eight straight from 192128 between the Southwest and Missouri Valley conferences. 17: Big 12 tournament titles for OSU in 23 years of the conference's existence. 21: Conference titles for OSU under coach John Smith. 51: Conference tournament titles for OSU overall.