COLUMBIA, Mo. – After nearly pinning his opponent in the championship match, Iowa State heavyweight Matt Gibson earned the 2012 Big 12 Championship heavyweight title Saturday at the Hearnes Center. Gibson defeated Austin Marsden of Oklahoma State in an 8-3 decision for the crown. Missouri won the team title with 77 points. Oklahoma State (73), Oklahoma (60.5) and Iowa State (24) rounded out the team scoring.

Iowa State will take at least Gibson, Ryak Finch (125), Andrew Sorenson (165) and Boaz Beard (184) to the NCAA Championships, March 15-17 in St. Louis, Mo.

Missouri led as a team by four points heading into the final match of the evening, as many Tiger faithful supported Gibson throughout the match. As Gibson earned a three-point near fall in the second period, the crowd continued to cheer for the Vallejo, Calif., native and gave him a slow clap in the final 20 seconds of the match.

Gibson is now 24-8 overall and has received an automatic bid to the 2012 NCAA Championships.

At 184 pounds, Boaz Beard lost a tight match to No. 1 seed Mike Larson of Missouri. Beard trailed 4-2 entering the third period and posted a reversal 30 seconds in to knot the score 4-4. The Wichita, Kan., native wasn’t able to pull off the win after an escape by Larson with 1:20 remaining.

Iowa State senior Andrew Sorenson earned a second-place finish after losing a 3-2 decision to Zach Toal of Missouri. Sorenson was in deep three times and has his opponent hopping on one leg, but ultimately could not finish the ensuing scrambles that followed. Sorenson is now 26-2 overall.

Iowa State travels to St. Louis, Mo., for the NCAA Championships March 15-17.

FINAL TEAM SCORES: Missouri, 77; Oklahoma State, 73; Oklahoma, 60.5; Iowa State, 24

Finals Results

125 pounds: Alan Waters (MU) dec. Jarrod Patterson (OU), 7-0

133 pounds: Jordan Oliver (OSU) dec. Nathan McCormick (MU), 10-2

141 pounds: Kendric Maple (OU) dec. Josh Kindig (OSU), 11-5

149 pounds: Jamal Parks (OSU) dec. Kyle Bradley (MU), 8-3

157 pounds: Drake Houdashelt (MU) dec. Matt Lester (OU), 3-1

165 pounds:  Zach Toal (MU) dec. Andrew Sorenson (ISU), 3-2

174 pounds: Chris Perry (OSU) dec. Dorian Henderson (MU), 8-2

184 pounds: Mike Larson (MU) dec. Boaz Beard (ISU), 5-4

197 pounds: Cayle Byers (OSU) dec. Brent Haynes (MU), 5-0

285 pounds: Matt Gibson (ISU) dec. Austin Marsden (OSU), 8-3