Moore returns to Hawkeye lineup

IOWA CITY - Nick Moore has attended each practice, and hit the road with his University of Iowa teammates.

The only place he hasn't been seen is in the Hawkeyes starting lineup.

Although a specific reason hasn't been officially given, the top-ranked Hawkeyes are expected to have the two-time NCAA qualifier back in the lineup when they host No. 24 Northwestern Friday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, beginning at 7. Moore is set to face the Wildcats' sixth-ranked Pierce Harger at 165 pounds.

Moore (13-4) returns to competition for the first time since a 9-2 loss at Ohio State on Jan. 4. He said he is excited to be back in the lineup.

'I traveled with the team and didn't miss a beat as far as the last two weeks,” 12th-ranked Moore said. 'I was here every day.”

The last two weeks have been productive, according to Moore. He didn't share specifics as to why it has been good for him.

'I've been building,” Moore said. 'It was a lot of positives. It was good for me. It was good for my body.”

Iowa Coach Tom Brands said Moore has benefitted in various areas during the break in competition. Progress has been made in Brands' eyes.

'We've seen healing and I feel good,” Brands said. 'If he (Moore) feels good, then I feel good and he feels good.”

In his absence, Iowa 165-pounders went 0-2 and lost by a combined score of 32-9 against two top-eight opponents. Moore has watched as the Hawkeyes (9-0) dominate Oklahoma State, 30-7, in Stillwater, Okla., and a heated 25-12 home win over Illinois last Friday. He would have preferred contributing to both.

'You see your teammates working hard and what they do,” Moore said. 'You want to be part of the success and show people what you can do.”

Moore is 3-1 in college against Harger, but fell 8-5 in the semifinal of December's Midlands Championships. It was the first-time he failed to score seven points against Harger. The pace has to increase and he has to have a complete performance.

'I have to put a full seven minutes together from beginning to end and that's what needs to happen,” Moore said. 'I'm not saying I didn't put a seven-minute match together the last time. I'm just saying that's what needs to happen for consistent success.”

Work begins to transfer what he has shown in practice to the mat. Friday could be a springboard that he needs to build to cap his Hawkeye career with an All-American finish.

'It's an exciting time of year,” Moore said. 'It's time to go.”

Moore isn't the only Hawkeye with a tough test against Northwestern (9-4). The dual could have four matches between ranked wrestlers. In addition to Moore and Harger, Iowa's fourth-ranked freshman Brandon Sorensen takes on top-ranked 149-pounder Jason Tsirtsis, top-ranked Bobby Telford faces the Wildcats' Mike McMullan in a rematch of the Midlands final won by Telford, and the Hawkeyes' No. 4 Nathan Burak has No. 11 Alex Polizzi at 149.

'We'll see a national champion at 149,” Brands said. 'We'll see a guy we owe at 165. He just had a big win against Indiana (highly-ranked Taylor Walsh). We'll see a heavyweight, two titans wrestling and then we'll have seven other weights in addition to that we have to be ready for.

'They're not going to lie down.”

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