The semifinal round was rough for Missouri Wrestling, but junior J’den Cox will get a chance for redemption as he heads to final round.

Cox is the second two-time national finalist in the program’s history. He won the national title in 2014 but was upset in the semifinals last year. He entered the tournament as the two-seed behind Penn State’s Morgan McIntosh. The two will meet in the final round. Cox beat McIntosh during his freshman and sophomore seasons. Yet, McIntosh defeated Cox in last year’s NCAA tournament.

McIntosh is one of five Penn State wrestlers in the final round. The Nittany Lions are running away with the team title with 114 points. Missouri is currently in sixth place with 58.5 points.

Overall it was a rough night for the Tigers, winning only three of their seven matches. Lavion Mayes, Blaise Butler and Willie Miklus all suffered a loss on Friday to an opponent they had beat this season. Mayes, Lewis and Miklus will wrestle tomorrow morning in the consolation semifinals. J’den Cox will wrestle in the 197-pound final tomorrow night.

Mayes at 149 pounds and Miklus at 184 pounds will place higher than they did at last year’s tournament. Mayes also won his second All-American medal.

McGhee and Butler looked to become All-Americans for the first time in their collegiate wrestling careers, but they were eliminated from the tournament.

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** 9:25 p.m:** J’den Cox was the Tigers’ final shot for having a wrestler in national finals. Cox opponent was Brett Pfarr of Minnesota.

Cox’s two takedowns in the first period gave him a 4-1 lead after the end of the first period. Cox picked up two more points in the second period, increasing his lead, 6-1. Late in the final period, Cox dumped Pfarr to his back, pinning him.

Cox will return to the NCAA finals where he will face Penn St’s No.1 Morgan McIntosh who defeated Cox last season.

** 9:05 p.m.** Sophomore Willie Miklus sought to become the second No. 14 seed to reach the 2016 national finals, but he failed to toppled Nebraska’s Tim Dudley.

Miklus got off to a fast start, taking down Dudley within the first 10 seconds. Dudley responded, escaping and taking down Miklus. Trailing 3-2, Miklus started the second period in the bottom position. On top, Dudley would turn Miklus for four near fall points increasing his lead, 7-3. Dudley reversed Miklus in the third period and continued to increase his riding time. Dudley defeated Miklus 12-4. Miklus will wrestle in tomorrow’s consolation semifinals.

**8:50 p.m:** Mayes returned to the mat for his final match of the day, and he will wrestle another day after beating Boise State’s Geo Martinez. An early takedown gave Mayes a 2-1 lead entering the second period. Mayes rode Martinez the entire second period picking up over two minutes of riding time. An escape, technical violation on Martinez and riding time gave Mayes another victory.

He will wrestle tomorrow in the consolation semifinals and is a guaranteed a higher place than last season.

**8:30 p.m:** For Daniel Lewis to reach the 165-pound finals, he would have to beat two-time national champion Alex Dieringer of Oklahoma State.

The redshirt freshman wrestled Dieringer earlier this season and lost 4-3. That margin only grew in their second meeting, with Lewis losing 14-4.

Dieringer dominated Lewis in the first period, recording three takedowns. Trailing 6-3, Lewis chose the top position but was quickly reversed. Dieringer took down Lewis again making the score 10-4 entering the third period. Dieringer tacked on another four points the final period. Lewis will wrestle tomorrow morning in the consolation semifinals.

**8:05 p.m:** Blaise Butler’s third and final attempt at placing at national tournament would require a win over Ohio’s Cody Walters, a MAC opponent who Butler beat twice this season. The match went into overtime where Butler was eliminated.

Scoreless after one, Butler started the second period on top. Walters escaped but Butler responded with a takedown. Walters escaped again, tying the match 2-2 after two periods. Butler chose neutral in the third period but couldn’t manage to score a takedown. The match had to be settled in overtime. Walters secured a takedown in overtime to end it.

**7:40 p.m** Edinboro’s Pat Lugo was the only thing standing between 149-pounder Lavion Mayes and his second medal in his collegiate career. After three periods, Mayes captured that medal. Mayes took down Lugo in the middle of the first period to take an early lead, 2-1. In the second period, Mayes would escape and continue to force his offense, earning another point when Lugo was warned for stalling. A takedown in the third period would secure a 6-2 victory for Mayes. He will wrestle one more match tonight.

**7:00 p.m:** It was do or die time for 125-pounder Barlow McGhee. Wrestling Michigan’s Conor Youtsey, McGhee was eliminated in overtime. The match was scoreless after the first period. Youtsey started the second period down and quickly escaped, scoring the only point of the period. Youtsey was warned for his second stall call of the match, making it 1-1. McGhee escaped with 10 seconds left but Youtsey’s minute of riding time tied the match, sending it to overtime. One overtime would not be enough to determine who would be an All-American at 125 pounds. McGhee would once again get an escape to tie the match, 3-3 in the third overtime. In the fourth and final overtime, Youtsey ended the match with a takedown in the final seconds.

####First half of Day Two

** 1:45 p.m:** All six of Mizzou’s remaining wrestlers have advanced to tonight’s session. The Tigers have secured three All-Americans and could match last seasons total of six if McGhee, Mayes, and Butler can win their consolation bouts.

At 174 pounds, Butler wrestled Illinois’ No. 5 Zach Brunson. Butler won 3-2 and will advance to tonight’s session. The match was scoreless after the first period. An early Brunson escape put the score at 1-0 entering the final period. Butler escaped and scored a takedown with 30 seconds left in the match. Now, Butler will move on to the fourth round of the consolation bracket, joining his teammates Barlow McGhee and Lavion Mayes. Butler will attempt to earn his first medal in his third and final trip to the national tournament.

Missouri is currently in fifth place in the team standings with 42.5 points. Penn State is leading with 68.5.

**1:15 p.m:** In his second match of the day, 125-pounder Barlow McGhee looked to advance to tonight’s session. McGhee faced Freddie Rodriguez of SIUE. McGhee quickly took the lead thanks to two takedowns in the first period. Rodriguez earned his third escape of the match in the second period, making the score 4-3 in McGhee’s favor entering the final period of the match. McGhee escaped halfway through the third period, increasing his lead by two points. McGhee earned his third takedown with 30 seconds remaining in the match, securing his victory, 9-5. McGhee will wrestle in tonight’s session, where a win would give him his first medal and another All-American for the Tigers.

**12:30 p.m:** J’den Cox would look to return to the semifinals for the third straight season at 197 pounds. A takedown, escape, near fall and two minutes of riding time would give Cox the 6-0 victory over Princeton’s Brett Harner. Cox will wrestle in the semifinals tonight.

“I made a goal for myself, I made a mission for myself. And I’m not done yet,” Cox said.

**12:20 p.m:** Blaise Butler would compete in the second round consolation match at 174 pounds. Four takedowns would give Butler an 8-3 lead over Lehigh’s Gordon Wolf after the first period. Butler would continue to pour on the points, earning another takedown complemented with four near fall points increasing his lead, 14-4. Butler would add one more takedown in the match, advancing to the next round with a 17-8 victory.

**12:10 p.m:** Willie Miklus earned his first medal last season as a redshirt freshman at 184 pounds. In the 184 pound quarterfinal Miklus would wrestle Penn’s Lorenzo Thomas in hopes of earning his second medal. Thomas would take down Miklus twice in the opening period, Miklus managed two escapes, 4-2 after the first period. In the second period, Miklus rode Thomas for the entire period and locked up a cradle which gave him four near fall points, 6-4 after two. Miklus would start the third and final period down. He quickly reversed Thomas and once again put him on his back for four more near fall points, 13-4. Miklus would win, 16-6, earning his second medal and a spot in tonight’s semifinals.

“I came here and wanted to All-American. So it’s on to the next step I guess,” Miklus said.

**11:45 a.m:** At 174 pounds, Mizzou’s Blaise Butler competed in the second round of the consolation bracket.

**11:25 a.m:** The redshirt-freshman Daniel Lewis earned his first medal and became the Tigers’ first All-American of the tournament. at 165 pounds. Lewis opponent was Connor Brennan of Rider. Lewis was in deep on an outside single late in the first but couldn’t manage to score and the score was 0-0 after the first period.

The two wrestlers started the second period in the neutral position. Lewis would get another outside single, this time scoring, leading 2-0 after two periods. Lewis started the third period down and quickly escaped, increasing his lead 3-0. The final score was 3-0 in Lewis’s favor.

**10:50 a.m:** The Tigers first quarterfinalist, 149-pounder Lavion Mayes forced his offense majority of the third period on his feet but was defeated, 3-2. Mayes faced Anthony Collica of Oklahoma State. Mayes defeated Collica earlier this season, 5-2. Collica upset Northwestern’s returning All-America No. 6 Jason Tsirtis to reach the quarterfinals. Mayes had a flurry of shots in the first period but him and Collica remained scoreless after one period.

Collica quickly escaped in the second period, scoring the first point of match, 1-0 in his favor. Mayes was warned for stalling, giving Collica a technical point. With five seconds left in the second period, Mayes took down Collica but the call was challenged and waved off. Collica led 2-0 at the start of the third. Mayes managed to reverse Collica in a scramble making the score, 2-2. An early escape gave Collica the lead 3-2.

**10:15 a.m:** McGhee stepped to the mat to face Pittsburgh’s Lorenzo Bentley at 125 pounds and earned a late round victory. McGhee picked up an early takedown, but Bentley quickly escaped and responded with a takedown of his own. McGhee managed to escape making the score 3-3 after the first period. McGhee started the second period down. Bentley built up over a minute of riding time before McGhee escaped and took Bentley down to his back, making the score 8-3 entering the final period. Bentley started the third period down and escaped. Bentley took down McGhee mid-way through the third. McGhee got a late reversal and will advance to the next round winning, 10-6. McGhee will wrestle again in today’s first session.

**10:00 a.m:** Wrestlers have been ordered to clear the mats. Quarterfinal and second round consolation matches are set to begin in Madison Square Garden. Barlow McGhee will be up for first for the Tigers at 125 pounds.