CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The No. 12 Illinois wrestling team improved to 5-0 on Monday night (Nov. 25) with their 24-14 win over No. 23 North Carolina (UNC) from Carmichael Arena.
The Orange and Blue matmen are 5-0, scoring 20+ dual points in each win for the first time since the 2015-16 team started 8-0 with 20+ dual points scored in each.
HOW IT HAPPENED
No. 2 at 133 pounds redshirt senior Lucas Byrd put Illinois on the board with his 9-1 major decision win over No. 15 Ethan Oakley (UNC). It was tied 1-1 for most of the match, but Byrd got in on his underhooks in the middle of the third period to get the takedown, four near fall points and the riding time point to earn the major decision. This cut into the UNC lead, 5-4, after the Tar Heels claimed the 125-pound bout via tech. fall.
No. 15 at 141 pounds redshirt junior Danny Pucino gave Illinois their first lead, 7-5, after his overtime victory over Jayden Scott (UNC), SV-1 4-1. It took Pucino a little over a minute in the extra period to get in on a single leg and secure the winning takedown.
Illinois dropped the 149- and 157-pound bouts to trail UNC 11-7 heading into the 165 pound bout before No. 24 redshirt freshman Braeden Scoles pushed Illinois back into the lead, 12-11, with his dominating 25-8 (7:00) tech. fall over Nicholas Fea (UNC); Illinois never trailed again from this moment onward. Scoles improved to 8-0 to join Byrd, also 8-0, as the final remaining undefeated wrestlers in the lineup.
No. 16 at 174 pounds redshirt senior Danny Braunagel made it back-to-back tech. falls for the Orange and Blue as he steamrolled Nolan O'Boyle (UNC), 20-3 (5:17), to extend the Illinois lead, 17-11. UNC claimed the decision win at 184 pounds to inch closer, 17-14.
No. 10 at 197 pounds redshirt senior Zac Braunagel took care of business against Cade Lautt (UNC) via major decision, 13-3, to make the score 21-14 in Illinois' favor, while No. 10 at 285 pounds redshirt senior Luke Luffman added some extra points to the team score with his 2-1 decision over Aidan Guttridge (UNC) to make the final 24-14.
UP NEXT
The Illini wrestling squad returns to action on Friday, Dec. 6, at 4 p.m. CT for a dual against Indiana at the inaugural Big Ten Takedown in Indianapolis.
FULL RESULTS
| Weight |
Matchup |
Score |
| 125: |
#25 Spencer Moore (UNC) tech. fall Caelan Riley (ILL), 20-5 (7:00) |
ILL 0 I UNC 5 |
| 133: |
#2 Lucas Byrd (ILL) major dec. #15 Ethan Oakley (UNC), 9-1 |
ILL 4 I UNC 5 |
| 141: |
#15 Danny Pucino (ILL)Â dec. Jayden Scott (UNC), SV-1 4-1 |
ILL 7 I UNC 5 |
| 149: |
#6 Lachlan McNeil (UNC) dec. #10 Kannon Webster (ILL), SV-1 4-1 |
ILL 7 I UNC 8 |
| 157: |
#27 Sonny Santiago (UNC) dec. #20 Jason Kraisser (ILL), 10-3 |
ILL 7 I UNC 11 |
| 165: |
#24 Braeden Scoles (ILL) tech. fall Nicholas Fea (UNC), 25-8 (7:00) |
ILL 12 I UNC 11 |
| 174: |
#16 Danny Braunagel (ILL)Â tech. fall Nolan O'Boyle (UNC), 20-3 (5:17) |
ILL 17 I UNC 11 |
| 184: |
#22 Gavin Kane (UNC) dec. #9 Edmond Ruth (ILL), 9-5 |
ILL 17 IÂ UNC 14 |
| 197: |
#10 Zac Braunagel (ILL) major dec. Cade Lautt (UNC), 13-3 |
ILL 21 IÂ UNC 14 |
| 285: |
#10 Luke Luffman (ILL) dec. Aidan Guttridge (UNC), 2-1 |
ILL 24 IÂ UNC 14 |
