Photo courtesy of Huskers.com

While the rest of Nebraska’s wrestling team leaned toward the mat on cushioned folding chairs, the New Jersey boys sat cross-legged on the floor under the Gatorade jug.

It was a fitting image, considering Sicklerville, N.J. products Vince Jones and Jordan Burroughs were responsible for the fourth-ranked Cornhuskers’ 17-16 dual victory over Oklahoma State Thursday night. With NU’s only major decision wins, both scored a crucial bonus point that helped offset No. 2 Craig Brester stunning loss at 197 pounds.

“We’ve been doing this since high school,” Jones said of he and Burroughs, who have been teammates and friends since youth. “That we can continue it in college is great…growing up, my dream was always to beat Oklahoma State, because they kept winning national championships. We’ve come a long way.”

They also gave Nebraska (15-2-1) its second straight win over the Cowboys (13-5) – the first time in the program’s history. NU didn’t secure the win until 125-pounder Andy Pokorny staved off a pin attempt late in his match. Jones and

Burroughs, watching, yelled together with 20 seconds left.

“We were hoping Pokorny would stay off his back,” Burroughs said.

Pokorny still lost 12-3, but not by enough points for OSU to recapture what it lost to Jones and Burroughs.

Jones, ranked eleventh by the National Wrestling Coaches’ Association at 184 pounds, won 11-2, securing the major decision on a takedown with two seconds left in the match. Burroughs, third at 157 pounds, put on a dominant performance, blasting tenth-ranked Neil Erisman 21-9 with ten takedowns, the first of which came just four seconds into the match.

“I’m always hoping for a technical fall,” Burroughs said. “I try to set the tone.”

That Burroughs did, mixing takedowns with terrific defensive recoveries. Erisman was one of the few wrestlers to take effective shots against the speedy Burroughs, but he never coverted any of them into points. Burroughs walked out of a couple, and turned two more into takedowns of his own.

The junior stayed perfect at 24-0, notching his team-leading 11th major decision of the season.

It was a performance NU coach Mark Manning had been awaiting. Burroughs has been flat, Manning said, in recent weeks, including a narrow 4-3 win over Raymond Foster at Missouri last week.

Two days before the OSU match, Manning said, he saw “a spark” back in Burroughs’ wrestling.

It might have had something to do with the season-high 2,826 fans at the Bob Devaney Sports Center who huddled around one end of the arena, and held up “2” cards each time Burroughs scored a takedown.

“We loved it, being out here,” Burroughs said. “We want the spotlight. We love the atmosphere and big matches.”

The crowd roared loudest at the end Jones’ match. The senior is generally NU’s most entertaining – and arguably most frustrating wrestler – getting in trouble, out, and back in with frequency. Thursday, he fought off OSU sophomore Cody Hill in the waning moment of the match and scored an unlikely takedown that brought legendary OSU Coach John Smith off the bench stomping and fussing after the buzzer.

“Vince did a great job,” Manning said. “He’s really trying to be more consistent.”

NU also got wins from Robert Sanders at 149 pounds,

Stephen Dwyer at 165, Brandon Browne at 174. Each won in the final period by three points or less.

The night’s biggest surprise came at 197, where Brester was taken down twice in the last 33 seconds by No. 8 Clayton Foster. Brester was out of rhythm much of the match, lunging wildly for shots and missing. Foster wrestled defensively until the very end, when he took advantage of his tiring opponent.

“Clayton Foster is a tough guy - I’m sure he’ll learn from it,” Manning said of Brester, who stormed out of the main arena upon losing, while Foster hit his chest. “

Oklahoma State scored its other victories at 125, 133, 141 and heavyweight.

Nebraska next wrestles Sunday at Oklahoma.

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