Hoosiers hope to pick on hapless Wildcats

Northwestern, by all accounts, is a desperate team. The Wildcats have lost their last eight dual meets and are winless in conference action. In the team's last meet, they suffered a blowout loss against Minnesota losing 41-3, and the Wildcats cannot claim any ranked starters. One would probably think when IU and Northwestern square off at 7 p.m. tonight at the University Gym, that the smart money is on IU to end its conference losing streak. \nAfter all, the Hoosiers will be facing a team that just suffered a demoralizing loss and IU can boast a projected starting lineup that has five wrestlers with twenty or more wins. But, that doesn't mean the Hoosiers are taking the Wildcats lightly. \n"The Big Ten is a grueling season," junior Ty Matthews said.\nThis year the Big Ten continues to be one of the toughest conferences in the nation. In fact, nine Big Ten wrestling programs can claim a top 25 ranking in polls provided by www.themat.com, an online wrestling magazine. Five of those teams are even ranked in the top ten: No. 2 Iowa, No. 3 Minnesota, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 7 Michigan, and No. 8 Illinois.\nThe Hoosiers, who still stand at 0-4 in Big Ten competition, cannot afford to look past Northwestern.\n"The Big Ten is tough no matter who you're wrestling," senior Greg Schaefer said.\nIU coach Duane Goldman said there is never an easy game in the Big Ten conference.\n"We know that the Big Ten is not easy," he said. "Right now we're still trying to just bring some guys along."\nThe Hoosiers will try to get their first conference win and extend the Wildcats' losing streak to nine straight tonight. But they may again be without freshman Joe Dubuque.\nDubuque has been one of the Hoosiers' best wrestlers this season when healthy, compiling a 22-4 record and being ranked as high as No. 16. But, an injury to Dubuque's right knee has kept him out of the last three Big Ten meets. His official status is day-to-day. Since Dubuque is the team's only 125-pounder, the Hoosiers were forced to forfeit the 125-pound bout at each competition, giving up six points each time.\nThe regular season is winding down for the Hoosiers. After facing Northwestern, IU will have three more regular season meets. Sunday, the Hoosiers leave for Champaign, Ill. for another tough road test when they face the No. 8 Illinois Fighting Illini. After returning home to face the No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes, the Hoosiers will complete the regular season at No. 3 Minnesota on Sunday, Feb. 25.