Week 7 #NCAAMGym Recap Presented by TURN
What happened this past weekend in the world of NCAA men’s gymnastics? Look no further than the #NCAAMGym Weekly Recap, presented by TURN.
Oklahoma @ Michigan
In the biggest upset of the 2020 season, the Michigan Wolverines took down Oklahoma, 416.5-408.9, last Saturday in a meet with far-reaching implications.
Michigan’s commanding victory, which was capped by a monster high bar rotation, threw into doubt the prevailing belief in the Sooners as the country’s second-best team. It elevated the Wolverines to the No. 2 spot nationally — where CGA had them ranked preseason — and as the NCAA season pauses for Winter Cup, it supplied Michigan with massive momentum heading into the five-up, five-count format. The Wolverines are sitting pretty.
The win was Michigan’s second-consecutive score of 410+ and was easily the top score by any Big Ten team this season. (No other conference team has scored 410+.) The score outstripped OU’s season-best of 412.2 for the second time, and it showed Michigan is capable — more than any other team, at least — of challenging Stanford, whose three-score average is 415.9.
What was most remarkable about Michigan’s season-high was that it came during their biggest matchup of the season. They posted their previous high the weekend before against UIC and Northern Illinois, a meet that presented little pressure for Michigan. Going against OU and performing better than they ever have is a testament not only to this team’s talent but also their clutch instinct — something that could spell disaster for other teams eyeing a podium finish at NCAAs.
So how’d they do it? Paul Juda played a big part. The freshman, who’d been having some struggles earlier this season, tallied an 84.05 all-around to contribute more than eight points to his team. In addition to the all-around, he won floor (14.55) and high bar (14.4) and placed in the top-three on rings (14.0), vault (14.6) and parallel bars (14.2). Junior Cameron Bock wasn’t far behind, posting an 82.1 all-around and earning titles on rings (14.55) and parallel bars (14.75). The one-two punch of Juda and Bock is easily the Big Ten’s most powerful all-around duo. Senior Mack Lasker also picked up an individual title (PH — 14.05) for Michigan.
The Wolverines outpaced the Sooners on four of six events. The biggest differential came on high bar, where Michigan ranks No. 1 nationally. Their 68.9 wasn’t a season-high, but it would have been the nation’s top score on the event had Michigan not posted a 69.35 a couple weeks ago against Ohio State.
Michigan will face Minnesota at home on Feb. 29 for their first five-up, five-count meet.
Oklahoma shined on floor and vault but ultimately couldn’t account for Michigan’s advantages on pommel horse and high bar. They were behind Michigan on those two events by a combined 6.1 points. OU’s star sophomore Vitaliy Guimaraes picked up the team’s two event titles with wins on floor (14.55, tie) and vault (14.7). The Sooners’ 68.4 on parallel bars was a slim season-high.
OU is off until March 13.
William & Mary @ Penn State
Penn State handled business at home, scoring a 403.75 to improve to 10-0 on the season. It is worth noting that this was done without some names in the lineup, including Stephen Nedoroscik who is in Australia competing for team USA . Promising freshman, Robbie Shamp, was also out of the lineup which left the Nittany Lions with only 5 vaulters. All-in-all, coach Randy Jepson will take the outcome considering the circumstances.
Even without Nedoroscik, Penn State was able to score an impressive 69.0 on pommel horse. Both Favian Valdez and Jack Baldwin shared the title with a pair of 14.25s while Nick Mock took third with a 13.8. Isaac Hammett did his best rings routine of the season to take the title with a 14.35, putting him back in the conversation of best ring guys in the country.
Sam Zakutney is still only healthy enough to compete on a few events but his impact was felt. Zakutney took the parallel bars title with a 14.3 and shared the high bar title with Alex Frack (13.95). The Nittany Lions should feel good about this performance and it comes right before the Winter Cup break, an off week that this injury-plagued team needs.
William & Mary scored a 381.1, their third straight score over 380+. Andrew Lyubovsky had another great day, finishing second on parallel bars (13.35) and tied for fourth on high bar (12.7). Colin Lillie took a share of the vault title after tying with Penn State’s Brennan Pantazis (14.4). Vault was the highlight for The Tribe where they scored a 69.75, over two points higher then the number put up by PSU.
Army/Minnesota @ Nebraska
Nebraska bounced back from a big setback against Illinois two weeks ago to handily defeat Minnesota and Army last Saturday.
The Huskers posted a 409.15 for their second-best team total of the year. They hit season-highs on vault (71.3) and high bar (66.5) and had the top team score on four of six events.
Nebraska’s victory was definitely an important turnaround, but it should be somewhat qualified by the fact that both they and Minnesota were resting some top guys. Griffin Kehler was inactive for the Huskers, and Shane Wiskus didn’t take the floor for Minnesota. The meet also wasn’t a Big Ten matchup, so the significance of the victory — and the pressure on each team to win — wasn’t as great as it might appear at first blush.
That said, the Huskers looked to possess the kind of confidence they had displayed earlier this season and that was sorely lacking in their loss to Illinois. They seemed unfazed by a middling first rotation (which turned in their second-lowest floor score of the season), recovering with a strong 67.1 on pommel horse. The horse effort was led by sibling swingers Cooper and Charlie Giles, who went one-two with scores of 13.8 and 13.65, respectively.
Nebraska also collected individual titles on floor (Jake Bonnay — 14.55), vault (Evan Kriley — 14.55), parallel bars (Bonnay — 14.25) and in the all-around (Kriley — 81.1).
Nebraska takes on Penn State at home on Feb. 29.
The Gophers were obviously limited by the absence of Wiskus and Mike Moran, but they still managed to post a season-high of 404.7 for a second-place finish. They also recorded (mostly slim) season-bests on horse (64.95), rings (67.45), vault (71.05) and high bar (67.45). The Gophers continue to struggle on floor and — despite the season-high — pommel horse. They trailed the Huskers on those two by about five combined points.
Minnesota freshman Donte McKinney had another solid day, winning high bar with a 14.1. Sophomore David Pochinka was right behind him on HB, and junior Colton Dee won rings with a 14.05. Dee was also second on vault (14.5). Timmy Kutyla had a strong day, notching a second-place finish on parallel bars (14.2) and a third-place finish on high bar (14.0).
Minnesota takes on Michigan Feb. 29.
The Black Knights also posted their second-highest team total of the season in Lincoln with a 389.15. They had big season-highs on floor (68.1) and parallel bars (66.35) but lost significant ground on horse and high bar, the events they rank the lowest on.
Mathew Davis took third on floor (14.0) and was Army’s only podium finisher. He finished with a 77.05 all-around.
Army faces Air Force at home on Feb. 29.
Temple/Washington @ Springfield
A tightly-contested matchup out in Springfield, Massachusetts, left both Washington and Springfield with season highs. However, it was the home team that was able to claim victory. The 386.5 that Springfield posted was their highest score of the season by over five points, and their second above 380+. This was certainly a statement win for head coach Matt Davis’s team.
Leading the way was Stephen Lewis, who won the all-around with a 79.25. He also had a first place finish on floor (14.1), second place finishes on pommel horse and rings (12.7, 13.4) and a third place finish on vault (14.2). Springfield also had event winners in John Murphy on vault (14.5) and Jakarie Williams on high bar (13.0). It was a great day for this team and they will look to keep up the pace after a week off during Winter Cup week.
Washington came up short of the victory but will certainly be happy with their season high performance. Their 382.9 was their second score above 380 through the midway point. Benjamin Bloom was the standout, taking second place in the all-around (77.55) to go along with the rings title (13.7). Luka Sisauri and Jacob Jarrett joined Bloom as event winners (PH - 13.45, PB - 12.9). The Huskies will have this week off before heading to Arizona for the Sun Devil Classic, where they will look to continue their strong performance.
Temple rounded out the trio with a 352.55. Evan Salters notched a fourth place finish on rings (13.0) and Mathew Coljohn took fourth on high bar (12.55).
