The opening match at 125-pounds saw redshirt junior Nick Corday of MSU get swept 4-0 by #22 Ayden Smith as Rutgers got the first points of the dual on the board with the win by decision.

Redshirt sophomore Caleb Weiand looked to reestablish himself in the rankings with a matchup against No. 24 Dylan Shawver. The bout turned heated and went back and forth, but Shawver secured a late takedown to hold off Weiand for an 8-3 decision.

Tensions spilled from the mat to the coaches’ chairs, resulting in a team point deduction for Rutgers due to coaching misconduct. The penalty reduced the Scarlet Knights’ team total from the match to two points.

The 141-pound bout proved to be the match of the night, tied 5-5 after the first period and remaining deadlocked entering the third. Michigan State got on the board when redshirt senior Andy Hampton broke the tie with an escape followed by a takedown, energizing the crowd on his way to a 9-5 decision victory.

The win marked a significant moment for Hampton, who has struggled to find victories and consistent opportunities this season. He was one of only two Spartans to win and earned a standing ovation from the home crowd.

A hot start from redshirt sophomore Clayton Jones saw him secure a takedown and early 3-0 lead over #29 Andrew Clark before a short injury stoppage. Jones didn’t look as impressive after they checked on him for injury and Clark would take advantage of that, securing a successful pin to get the win and 6 points for Rutgers.

Redshirt freshman Darius Marines was another wrestler who fell out of the rankings looking to bounce back, but his match would end similarly, as a final period takedown would separate him and Anthony White, who got a 7-4 win by decision that gave Rutgers a 14-3 lead at the half.

The Spartans would not find much success outside the second half as redshirt sophomore Jack Conley was dominated by #29 Andrew Barbosa, who would finish the match with a 19-4 technical fall victory after scoring multiple takedowns.

Rutgers would continue to show why they’re so highly ranked as #17 Lenny Pinto got a victory by major decision over graduate student Connor O'Neill. Pinto held O’Neill to just 2 points, both of which came from escaped takedowns.

Redshirt senior Ryan Boucher turned in a strong effort against No. 20 Shane Cartagena-Walsh. He kept the bout within three points until the closing seconds, when a third takedown secured a decision victory for Cartagena-Walsh.

Boucher was one of the few Michigan State wrestlers to record a takedown, an impressive feat for an unranked competitor facing a ranked opponent.

#25 Redshirt junior Kael Wisler would be the first of two matches where both wrestlers are featured in the rankings, taking on #16 Remy Cotton. Wisler found no success over Cotton, getting just one point coming from an escape as Cotton cruised to a 7-1 win by decision in the ranking battle.

#33 Redshirt junior Josh Terrill got back to his winning ways with a commanding win by disqualification over Brandon Torzano. Terrill was by far the best MSU wrestler of the night. He won the match 13-1 before Torzano was called with his final stalling call, which got him disqualified.

MSU now holds a 2-8-1 all-time record against Rutgers following the dual defeat and a 4-8 record on the season. The Spartans have one day of rest before traveling to take on Minnesota on Sunday, Feb.15.