SIU Edwardsville @ Northern Illinois

Northern Illinois topped SIU Edwardsville 22-13 in Illinois on February 23, 2024, at the Northern Illinois host dual. The Huskies' ability to collect bonus points made the difference in a relatively close meeting between MAC foes.

At 157 pounds Munktulga Zuunbayan delivered a big result for Northern Illinois, posting a 13-4 major decision that earned four team points and swung the scoreboard in the Huskies' favor. That margin mattered because bonus scoring was scarce outside a few decisive bouts.

SIU Edwardsville answered with a major decision of their own when Ryan Yarnell took an 11-2 win at 197 pounds for four team points, keeping the Cougars within striking distance. Still, the dual was sealed on the mat by Northern Illinois' heavyweight Jacobi Jackson, who recorded a fall for six team points and effectively closed the gap the Cougars could make.

With those bonus-point victories from Zuunbayan and Jackson offsetting SIUE’s major by Yarnell, Northern Illinois finished with a nine-point edge. The combination of a late pin and a crucial major decision proved to be the turning point in a dual where a handful of bonus outcomes decided the final margin.