LEE’S PIN PAVES WAY FOR IOWA WRESTLING OVER MICHIGAN STATE

It came and went in 46 seconds, the result about as good as it gets.

Spencer Lee’s collegiate debut featured a first-period pin of Michigan State’s Rayvon Foley before the Carver-Hawkeye Arena crowd could get comfortable, kickstarting a 49-6 thumping of the Spartans Friday night.

With the victory, Iowa moved to 8-0 overall and 4-0 in conference, with Michigan State’s mark at 4-3, 0-1.

Lee found a high single on Foley’s left leg before immediately putting his opponent on his back and getting the fall. One down, many to go.

The remaining four matches before the intermission also ended with pins — the Hawkeyes were on the right side of those, save for 141 where Javier Gasca stuck Carter Happel in 4:04. Cash Wilcke and, you guessed it, Sam Stoll picked up falls to end the evening, bringing Tom Brands’ squad’s count to six against their Big Ten foe. For those keeping score at home, that’s five-consecutive pins from the big man.

Elsewhere, Alex Marinelli managed a 24-5 tech fall, while Joey Gunther and Mitch Bowman kept the bonus-point train rolling with majors of their own. Were the Hawkeyes feeling the Lee factor? In my scientific opinion, absolutely.

While the Spartans aren’t world-beaters by any means, this was about as good a result as Brands — who picked up his 200th win as head coach of the Hawkeyes — and the program could ask for. It ultimately served as a big-time tune up as the attention now turns to sixth-ranked Oklahoma State Sunday in Iowa City.

We’ll preview later on this week, and yes, Lee gets the nation’s No. 4 125-pounder in Nick Piccininni, which should be a phenomenal barometer moving ahead. With a win, we’d be on the verge entering full-on Leemania. At this point, we can only hope.

NO. 4 IOWA 49, MICHIGAN STATE 6
125 / Spencer Lee pinned Rayvon Foley, 0:46
133 / Paul Glynn pinned Matt Santos, 6:13
141 / Javier Gasca pinned Carter Happel, 4:04
149 / Brandon Sorensen pinned Jwan Britton, 3:45
157 / Michael Kemerer pinned Jake Tucker, 4:21
165 / Alex Marinelli tech. fall Ausin Hiles, 24-5
174 / Joey Gunther major dec. Logan Richie, 15-5
184 / Mitch Bowman major dec. Shwan Shadaia, 9-0
197 / Cash Wilcke pinned Nick May, 5:54
HWT / Sam Stoll pinned Matt Lloyd, 2:03