Buffs Stay Undefeated, Win Acrisure Holiday Classic Title

Friday, November 28

Palm Desert, Calif.

2:30 p.m.

Colorado

7-0,0-0Big 12

Washington

5-2,0-0Big Ten

Washington

Colorado

Buffs celebrate the Acrisure Holiday Classic championship

Buffs Stay Undefeated, Win Acrisure Holiday Classic Title

November 28, 2025 | Men's Basketball

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By: Troy Andre, Associate Director/Athletic Communications

PALM DESERT, Calif. – Junior Bangot Dak recorded his first career double-double, leading the Buffaloes to the 2025 Acrisure Holiday Classic title with an 81-68 win over Washington, Friday afternoon at the Acrisure Arena.

Dak, who was named the tournament's most valuable player, had 15 points and 11 rebounds, while adding three blocked shots and two assists.

Colorado, 7-0 for the first time since 2019-20, once again featured a balanced attack with five players in double figures. Isaiah Johnson had 13 points and Alon Michaeli had 12, both off the bench. Felix Kossaras and Sebastian Rancik both had 11 points as the Buffaloes claimed their first multi-team event tournament title since the MGM Main Event in Las Vegas in 2019-20.

Quimari Peterson led Washington (5-2) with 18 points. Desmond Claude added 14.

"When our team puts the Colorado name ahead of the name on the back of their jersey, really good things can happen," Colorado head coach Tad Boyle said. "And you can win championships. This is a small championship, but every one of these tournaments played throughout the country, you have an opportunity to compete for a championship. That's something we relish."

It was quite a roller coaster day for the young Buffaloes. The first half was a complete domination by Colorado, which opened the game on a 22-9 run. The Buffaloes shot 55 percent in the first half while holding Washington to just 28 percent from the field as Colorado built a 17-point lead.

But a little adversity came quickly in the second half. Washington flipped the script on the Buffaloes, finding its rhythm with the shooting of Peterson and the rebounding of Franck Kepnang who had nine rebounds, six on the offensive end. Peterson hit a pair of 3-pointers to lead a 22-5 run that completely erased Colorado's lead in the first nine minutes of the second half. Jasir Rencher hit a 3-pointer to finish off that run, tying the score at 52-52 with 11:41 remaining.

While the Buffaloes could have fallen apart at that point, they simply regrouped and got back to work. Kossaras ended Washington's run and gave Colorado back the lead for good with his second of three 3-pointers on the day. After a Washington miss, Elijah Malone looked to score on the other end. His shot was off the rim but Dak was there for the flush off the rebound and the Buffs' lead was back up to five at 57-52.

From there the Buffaloes had an answer for every Washington basket. Peterson hit another 3-pointer, but Kossaras countered with his own. Claude cut Colorado's lead to four, at 62-58, only to have Michaeli with a step-back 3-pointer to extend the lead back to seven at 66-59 with 5:56 remaining.

The Buffaloes kept that momentum down the stretch. Malone scored two straight baskets and Rancik hit two free throws to get the lead back to double digits. Colorado, which didn't have a great start on the day at the free throw line, hit 7 of 8 down the stretch to hold the Huskies in check.

"We've got a competitive group of guys," Boyle said. "They want to win, it's important to them, and we saw that this summer in Australia. In the big picture (today's adversity) is probably good that happened, because we can learn from it. It's another teaching moment, another opportunity to say 'hey, it's a 40-minute game.'"

It was a great start for the Buffaloes, scoring the first seven points and hitting their first three shots. Rancik and Dak both hit 3-pointers as Colorado held a 10-2 lead and forced an early Washington timeout.

Colorado kept the gas pedal to the floor, making 9 of 13 shots to open the game, Michaeli had an early seven off the bench as the Buffaloes led 22-9 at 11:44. The Buffaloes had seven assists on their first nine field goals, with five of them coming from Barrington Hargress, who would finish with eight assists, along with seven points and three steals.

Colorado's biggest struggle came with some foul trouble and at the line as well. Malone picked up this third foul midway through the first half. Colorado was able to get to the line, but made just 10 of their first 16.

Washington shot just 28 percent in the first half but stayed relatively close thanks to its success at the foul line, making all 11 of its shots. Two Wesley Yates free throws and a JJ Mandaquit floater cut Colorado's lead to 12 at 42-30, but the Buffaloes ended the half on a 5-0 run, with three free throws and a Holland layup that matched the biggest lead at the break at 47-30.