McDonough eyeing revenge on wrestling mat

IOWA CITY - Matt McDonough will get the chance he has been waiting for since last month.

The University of Iowa's defending NCAA champion suffered his only loss at the hands of Northwestern's Brandon Precin in the 125-pound final of the Midlands Championships. Tonight, back in Evanston, Ill., McDonough gets an opportunity to avenge just his second career loss.

Eighth-ranked Iowa starts a two-dual weekend road trip tonight at 7 against No. 18 Northwestern at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Hawkeyes travel to State College, Pa., for a dual Sunday against top-ranked Penn State at Rec Hall at 1 p.m. (tape delay, 8:30 p.m., BTN)

The Hawkeyes (9-0-1, 2-0 Big Ten) are focused on the Wildcats (15-1, 3-1), especially McDonough. Precin, a two-time All-American who placed third in 2009 before redshirting last season, topped McDonough, 3-1, for the Midlands crown.

“It never feels good to lose,” said McDonough, a red-shirt sophomore who is 14-1 this season and 51-2 in two seasons. “It's a big deal getting another opportunity before NCAAs. It's just another chance to wrestle the best in the country.

“That's why I train the way I do and prepare, because if you want to be the best you've got to beat guys that are going to come out and want to take your head off.”

Precin didn't take off McDonough's head, but he did slow his relentless offense.

“We have to be on a scoring pace. When we get squeezed in we've get to wiggle out, clear and wrestle,” Hawkeye Coach Tom Brands said. “High pace favors us.”

Brands said coaches are smart enough not to play to McDonough's strengths. The strategy caught them off guard, and he said McDonough adjusted to slowly.

“I think we got ambushed a little bit,” Brands said. “I think they came out and had a game plan and executed it pretty well.”

McDonough knew the difference in the match immediately after the contest. He's revisited video and broken down what he needs to improve.

“Just continuing to make opportunities for myself,” McDonough said. “Not letting guys tie me up and staying aggressive, keeping the pace high and tempo where I want it and not falling into any other standards.

“More than just preparing for a single person, it's preparing yourself to wrestle to the best of your ability. I think every match gives me things to work on, but definitely looking at that helps see where I need to key in on in the match-up.”

Brands said this is a huge test for McDonough.

“We're fired up for this match,” Brands said.

Red-shirt freshman Derek St. John (11-2) has a couple of big matches of his own this weekend, taking on Northwestern's No. 7 Jason Welch (20-2) and Penn State's third-ranked David Taylor (25-0).