NIU 8-6, 2-1

Coach’s Take-Dave Grant

The Huskie wrestling team faces its biggest challenge in the MAC tonight against No. 5 Central Michigan. The Chippewas defeated the Huskies 27-9 last season in DeKalb.

“We should go in with the same kind of attitude when you go in there and wrestle,” Grant said. “We’ve wrestled in big venues and were used to that situation.”

Last meet

The Huskies are coming off a 24-13 loss to Northern Iowa last Friday. Pat Castillo, Duke Burk, Bryan O’Connor and Dave Benner each picked up a win for NIU. Castillo got his 13th major decision, which leads the nation.

Key wrestler

Duke Burk, ranked No. 13 in the nation at 174 pounds, hasn’t lost to an unranked opponent all season. The sophomore has also gone unbeaten since Midlands.

Burk faces what could be his toughest challenge of the season in CMU’s Brandon Sinnott. Burk faced Sinnott’s brother, Christian, last season.

“They wrestle pretty much the same except they do everything opposite, one’s a righty and one’s a lefty,” Burk said. “You could look for a little payback I guess, he beat my brother (former NIU wrestler Danny Burk) last year to end his career at nationals.”

Vital stat

The Chippewas’ last MAC dual loss was to NIU in 2003.

CMU 11-2, 2-0

Coach’s Take

Tom Borrelli is in his 17th season as Central Michigan’s head coach. He is also the Chippewas’ all-time winningest coach. Borrelli sees one of Thursday’s key matches to be CMU’s Brandon Sinnott vs. NIU’s Duke Burk.

“We know Duke’s potential,” Borrelli said. “He’s having a great year this year and were expecting a great match.”

Last Meet

The Chippewas are coming of a 32-3 victory over Buffalo. The win was the 26th consecutive MAC dual victory for Central Michigan.

Key wrestler

Brandon Sinnott is currently ranked No. 3 in the nation at 174 pounds and will face NIU’s Burk. Sinnott won the 2007 MAC title at 174 pounds.

Vital stat

The Chippewas have seven wrestlers ranked in the top 20. They also claim the top spot at every weight in the current MAC rankings, with the exception of 133, where Castillo and Kent State’s Dan Mitcheff are tied.