Hoosiers Ready for “Mackey Mayhem” at Purdue

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Hoosiers have an in-state showdown on tap for their first dual of 2017. Indiana (7-3) returns to their Big Ten dual schedule with a clash at Mackey Arena in their biggest rivalry, against the Purdue Boilermakers (6-2). The event, known as Mackey Mayhem, will mark the fourth time that IU and Purdue have grappled inside of Purdue's 15,000-seat basketball arena. And with the Boilermakers winning two of the previous three events, the Hoosiers enter the Friday Night scuffle with an opportunity to even the showcase series.

Led by #6 Nate Jackson (184) and #17 Devin Skatzka (174), who are both in flying form after podium finishes at the Midlands Championships, Indiana seeks an end Purdue's six-match winning streak in the rivalry. To do that, they'll have to win in hostile territory against a senior led Purdue lineup featuring #12 Alex Griffin (157). The dual meet is set for a late start in West Lafayette, and will stream live on BTN2Go.com.

Mackey Mayhem
Indiana Hoosiers (7-3, 0-1) at Purdue Boilermakers (6-2, 1-1)
Friday, January 13 • 8:00 p.m. ET • Live on BTN2Go.com
Mackey Arena • West Lafayette, Ind.
Series History
All-Time Series: Indiana leads, 62-37-3
Last Meeting: February 7, 2016 (PU 18, IU 14)
First Meeting: February 10, 1923 (IU 17, PU 10)

Hoosier Notes:

Streak Snapped, Flag Planted
The 54th Ken Craft Midlands Championships was an important tournament for Nate Jackson. He began the year with a 15-0 record, but fans were anxious to see how he'd handle an elite bracket at his new 184 lbs. weight. And although the winning streak came to an end, Jackson's 4th-place finish showed that he belonged in one of the toughest weight classes this season.

Jackson cruised to the quarterfinals on a tech fall, a 5-point decision, and a major decision over #16 Mitch Sliga. He split two bouts with #4 Sammy Brooks (Iowa), winning the quarterfinal match before dropping the third-place bout. He also met #2 T.J. Dudley (Nebraska), came short in a 10-6 decision, and rebounded with a sudden-victory decision over 3-seed Pete Renda (NC State).

Skatzka's Statement
Redshirt freshman Devin Skatzka (174) was one of the Hoosiers' most anticipated grapplers at #Midlands54 after nearly placing last year as a redshirt, and he delivered with a 5th-place finish with four consecutive wrestle back wins. Skatzka began with a stunning 3:38 pin on #15 C.J. Brucki. His championship run, however, came up short after Austin Dewey won by fall in the next round.

Still, Skatzka battled back. He rattled off three wins, including a first-period pin against Micah Barnes (Nebraska). In the consolation semifinals, Skatzka came up on the wrong side of a 5-2 decision against #4 Alex Meyer (Iowa), but finished his day with a seven-point decision over #22 Ryan Christensen (Wisconsin).

Midway through his first varsity season, Skatzka is 18-5 with a team-leading 9 wins by fall. His tournament success resulted in his first career rankings, some as high as #17 (WIN).
Entering the Mayhem
The 103rd meeting between Indiana and Purdue will be just the fourth time inside Mackey Arena, and their first since Purdue's 21-17 win in 2004. The mats haven't been on Mackey's hardwood since the 2012 Big Ten Championships, so fans are anticipating the unique stage for one of the state's fiercest wrestling rivalries.

The probable bout card poses several eye-catching duals, like the 133 lbs. match with Garrett Pepple (10-4) and Luke Welch (14-7) and #20 Elijah Oliver (9-3) versus Ben Thornton (20-8) at 125 lbs. Jake Danishek (15-6) faces Purdue's toughest challenge at 157 lbs., #12 Alex Griffin (21-8).

Playing the Back Nine
The dual with Purdue begins a grueling dual stretch with eight Big Ten matchups and a potential ninth if the Hoosiers secure a second NWCA Dual Series meet. That stretch includes hosting #9 Minnesota, #6 Nebraska, and #3 Iowa while traveling to Northwestern, Maryland, #25 Rutgers, and #12 Illinois.

At the conclusion of the dual season, Hoosier fans will be able to take advantage of short travel to the Big Ten Championships, hosted at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on March 4 and 5.

Up Next: Home vs. Minnesota
The Hoosiers are back home next weekend to serve as hosts in a dual with #9 Minnesota. Last season, Indiana stunned the Gophers in Minneapolis, 19-18, for the Hoosiers' first win in the series since 1968.

The dual will also feature host a free middle school clinic put on by the IU wrestling team prior to the 2:00 p.m. start time. The meet will stream live on BTN2Go.com.

Back Points…
• As a team, the Hoosiers have an 138-85 (.618) record this season with 28 major decisions, 10 tech falls, and 36 wins by fall. They've only conceded 5 pins.
• Nate Jackson picked up his 92nd career win on the final day of #Midlands54, climbing closer to the milestone 100-win mark.
• Jackson leads the Hoosiers in total takedowns (95), riding time points awarded (9), and bonus point wins (15).
• Elijah Oliver (125), Jake Danishek (157), Norman Conley (197) and Chris Perez (149) haven't conceded back points to their opponents this season.
• Perez, nine matches into his final season, has yet to concede a takedown to his opponent.
• The Hoosiers are 3-1 in away duals this season, and are 5-2 when starting the dual at 125 lbs.
• Indiana leads Purdue in the historic series, 62-37-3, and they seek their first win in West Lafayette since the 2005-06 season.

Hoosiers Ready for “Mackey Mayhem” at Purdue

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Players Mentioned

Norman Conley

Jake Danishek

Nate Jackson

Elijah Oliver

Garrett Pepple

Chris Perez

Indiana University Athletics