TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona State Sun Devils faced yet another ranked team, as they have in every duel this season.

Despite impressive showings by several Sun Devils, Arizona State (0-8, 0-5 Big 12) once again found itself overmatched by a top 25 opponent. Two early falls ensured that the Missouri Tigers (7-6, 1-1 Big 10) left Desert Financial Arena with a 22-17 victory on Thursday, Jan. 15. 

With the loss, the Sun Devils remain winless in duels on the year.

“We’re wrestling the best teams in the country week in and week out,” coach Zeke Jones said. “We knew coming in that we were going to have our hands full.”

Despite the pile of team losses, Jones believes that the challenging schedule will help his wrestlers in the long run.

 “It’s great for the kids, particularly those young kids not only that are in the lineup, but that are sitting on that bench,” Jones said.

For the second straight meet, getting pinned proved to be costly for ASU.

In the team’s last duel against West Virginia, 149-pound sophomore Daniel Miranda got pinned in the final seconds of his matchup against the Mountaineers’ TJ Langley, costing the Sun Devils three crucial points in a 20-19 defeat.

Tonight, Missouri’s two best wrestlers came through with falls to secure those massive bonus points.

In the 174-pound match, No. 11 junior Cam Steed, an All-American and Big 12 runner-up in 2025, defeated junior Leo Tukhlynovych by fall and in the 184-pound bout, No. 2 freshman Aedon Sinclair pinned No. 30 junior Shay Addison.

The Sun Devils’ biggest win came in the 141-pound contest, as No. 25 freshman Pierson Manville put on a show, securing a 21-5 technical fall over junior Zeke Selter.

“That was the best leg attack I’ve seen from him all year,” Jones said. “I would say this was the worst leg attack dual meet we’ve had all year, but Pierson had great leg attacks.”

Likewise, Manville said he was trying to have a good time while working hard.

“I just go after it, I live and die by throwing someone,” Manville said. “I’ll try to throw someone at least one time in a match. I’m just trying to give back to the fans, trying to have fun.”

ASU’s standout Larkin brothers didn’t have the high level of explosiveness we’ve been used to seeing them provide, but each won their match comfortably.

No. 5 freshman Kyler Larkin won the 141-pound match over sophomore Gage Walker in a 9-3 decision in which Kyler nearly got a takedown at the buzzer to make it a major decision.

No. 2 sophomore Kaleb Larkin won the final match of the night, a top 15, 157-pound matchup with No. 15 senior Teague Travis, in a 5-1 decision.

Manville, the star tonight, had high praises for the Larkins.

“I wrestle trying to be like Kaleb and Kyler, they’re the guys I inspire to be like, as people and as wrestlers,” Manville said. “They’re just so relaxed, so calm, so poised and they have so much love for the sport.”

Even though multiple ASU wrestlers delivered great wins, Missouri was just a little bit better. The Tigers won 6 of the 10 matches including two pins and a major decision to swing the duel in their favor.

At the end of the day, it’s another loss for the Sun Devils, but there will be more chances to prove themselves against tough competition and build momentum for the Big 12 Championships.