Colorado University Athletics
Saturday, January 3
Tempe, Ariz.
3 p.m.
Colorado
at
Arizona State
Photo by: Tony Harman
Big 12 Season Begins As Buffs Travel To ASU
January 01, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Game 14 - Arizona State, Saturday, January 3, 2026
Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz.
Tip: 3:05 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN2 (Dave Pasch, Sean Farnham) https://buffs.me/493gG3z
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 391, SXM App 981 https://sxm.app.link/SXM981
Live Statistics: https://buffs.me/3MZGk0A
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado enters the Big 12 Conference portion of its schedule with a record of 10-3. The 10 wins during the nonconference season are the most for the Buffaloes since the 2019-20 season (11-2).
After an 8-0 start, Colorado's best in 76 years, the Buffaloes have dropped their last two and three of their last five, coming off an 86-81 setback against Northern Colorado on Dec. 28. Colorado, which was 9-2 during the nonconference schedule a year ago, didn't win its 10th game last season until Feb. 15.
Colorado's offense has been strong during nonconference play, ranking among the nation's best in several categories. The Buffaloes are 26th in the nation in field goal shooting at 50 percent, which also ranks third in the Big 12 Conference. Colorado is 41st in the nation, and fifth in the Big 12, in 3-point percentage (.377).
SCORING BALANCE: Colorado has had at least four players score in double figures in 11 of its first 13 games, including the first nine. The Buffaloes have had four games with at least five scoring in double digits.
Colorado had only four games with four players scoring in double figures in 35 contests last year (3-1 record) and none with five. Prior to this season, the NCAA Tournament win over Florida on March 22, 2024 was the last instance of five double-digit scorers.
The Buffaloes have had five different players lead the team in scoring this season and four have had 20-point games. Freshman Isaiah Johnson picked up his third 20-point game, and second in three contests, with a career and team season-high 25 vs. Northern Colorado.
Colorado is averaging 34.4 points per game from its bench accounting for 40 percent of the team's scoring. The Buffaloes' reserves are shooting 59.0 percent from the field while also pitching in 13.0 rebounds per game.
Colorado's 34.4 bench points per game is second in the Big 12 and ranks 31st in NCAA Division I.
Freshman Isaiah Johnson is Colorado's leading scorer while coming off the bench in all 13 games. His 15.6 points per game average off the bench leads Power 4 Conference players and is second in NCAA Division I overall, trailing only Northern Kentucky's Donovan Oday (15.9 ppg).
Johnson led the Buffaloes in scoring for the fifth time this season against Northern Colorado, a game in which he also pulled down a career-best eight rebounds. He had 20 points in the win over Portland State, including a perfect 11 of 11 showing from the free throw line. Johnson leads the Buffaloes in free throws made and attempted and ranks second in both assists (30) an steals (14).
Junior Barrington Hargress leads Colorado in assists (64), field goal percentage (.577) and steals (15). He had 18 points and five rebounds against Northern Colorado, numbers that happen to be his averages in those two categories over the last four games.
Hargress recorded a CU-best 23 points in the win over UTSA, the 25th overall 20-point game in his collegiate career. He tied an overall career-high and a team season high with five 3-point field goals.
On the Big 12 charts, Hargress ranks sixth in field goal percentage, seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.2) and 10th in assists (4.9 apg).
Hargress has made his 30 of his last 46 from the field (.652), including 10 of 14 from 3-point range (.714).
Sophomore Sebastian Rancik is second on the team in rebounding (5.5 rpg) and third in scoring (13.2 ppg) and assists (28).
His rebounding numbers have picked up, averaging 6.3 rebounds over the last nine games. Rancik tied a career-high with nine against San Francisco.
Rancik leads the team and ranks fifth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage at 86.4 percent. He has made 57 of 66 from the line, which includes a string of 25-straight made between the Eastern Washington and UC Davis games.
Junior forward Bangot Dak leads the Buffaloes and is 17th in the Big 12 at 6.9 rebounds per game and eighth in blocks at 1.7 per outing. He is fourth on the team in scoring at 11.5 points per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the field.
Dak recorded his second career double-double in the win over Portland State with 10 points and 10 rebounds. He had a pair of blocks, marking his sixth straight game with at least two blocked shots.
Freshman Alon Michaeli is averaging 10.4 points on 50 percent shooting in his 11 games off the bench. He has scored in double figures in seven of those contests. Michaeli had a team-high 19 points at Colorado State, hitting 8 of 12 from the field. He just missed a double-double against Portland State with a career-high 10 rebounds and nine points.
CU IN THE NET: A snapshot of Colorado's NET rankings in 2025-26 (through games of Jan. 1).
Current: 84 | Highest: 39 (Dec. 2) | Lowest: 84 (Jan. 1)
Opponent Net Rank: 93 | Opponent Avg. Net: 157
Quad 1: 0-0 | Quad 2: 1-2 | Quad 3: 5-1 | Quad 4: 4-0
ABOUT THE SUN DEVILS: Arizona State is 9-4 overall and starts conference play on a two-game losing streak after falling to a Oregon State 78-75 at home and UCLA 90-77 on the road. The Sun Devils are averaging 80.0 points per game, shooting 46.4 percent from the field. ASU has been solid at getting to the free throw line, they are second in the Big 12 in free throw attempts per game with 25.5. Defensively, the Sun Devils are allowing 75.2 points per game, and have held opponents to 43.8 percent shooting. Arizona State has had success taking care of the ball with a 3.2 turnover margin which is fifth in the Big 12.
Senior guard Moe Odom leads the Sun Devil's at 16.2 points per game. Odom also is third in the Big 12 with 6.2 assists per game, that ranks 19th in the NCAA. The Sun Devils have two other players who average double-digits in points: senior guard Anthony Johnson (13.6) and freshman center Massamba Diop (13.2). Diop makes an impact on the defensive side of the ball with1.46 blocks per game. He has the 10th most total blocks in the Big 12 so far this season.
THE SERIES: This will be the 31st meeting between Colorado and Arizona State with the Buffaloes holding a 16-14 edge in the series. The Sun Devil's took both games last season in the first meetings in the Big 12. Arizona State holds a 10-4 advantage in Tempe although three of those Colorado wins have come in the last five trips
Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz.
Tip: 3:05 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN2 (Dave Pasch, Sean Farnham) https://buffs.me/493gG3z
Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)
Listen Online: Sirius XM 391, SXM App 981 https://sxm.app.link/SXM981
Live Statistics: https://buffs.me/3MZGk0A
THE BUFFALOES: Colorado enters the Big 12 Conference portion of its schedule with a record of 10-3. The 10 wins during the nonconference season are the most for the Buffaloes since the 2019-20 season (11-2).
After an 8-0 start, Colorado's best in 76 years, the Buffaloes have dropped their last two and three of their last five, coming off an 86-81 setback against Northern Colorado on Dec. 28. Colorado, which was 9-2 during the nonconference schedule a year ago, didn't win its 10th game last season until Feb. 15.
Colorado's offense has been strong during nonconference play, ranking among the nation's best in several categories. The Buffaloes are 26th in the nation in field goal shooting at 50 percent, which also ranks third in the Big 12 Conference. Colorado is 41st in the nation, and fifth in the Big 12, in 3-point percentage (.377).
SCORING BALANCE: Colorado has had at least four players score in double figures in 11 of its first 13 games, including the first nine. The Buffaloes have had four games with at least five scoring in double digits.
Colorado had only four games with four players scoring in double figures in 35 contests last year (3-1 record) and none with five. Prior to this season, the NCAA Tournament win over Florida on March 22, 2024 was the last instance of five double-digit scorers.
The Buffaloes have had five different players lead the team in scoring this season and four have had 20-point games. Freshman Isaiah Johnson picked up his third 20-point game, and second in three contests, with a career and team season-high 25 vs. Northern Colorado.
Colorado is averaging 34.4 points per game from its bench accounting for 40 percent of the team's scoring. The Buffaloes' reserves are shooting 59.0 percent from the field while also pitching in 13.0 rebounds per game.
Colorado's 34.4 bench points per game is second in the Big 12 and ranks 31st in NCAA Division I.
Freshman Isaiah Johnson is Colorado's leading scorer while coming off the bench in all 13 games. His 15.6 points per game average off the bench leads Power 4 Conference players and is second in NCAA Division I overall, trailing only Northern Kentucky's Donovan Oday (15.9 ppg).
Johnson led the Buffaloes in scoring for the fifth time this season against Northern Colorado, a game in which he also pulled down a career-best eight rebounds. He had 20 points in the win over Portland State, including a perfect 11 of 11 showing from the free throw line. Johnson leads the Buffaloes in free throws made and attempted and ranks second in both assists (30) an steals (14).
Junior Barrington Hargress leads Colorado in assists (64), field goal percentage (.577) and steals (15). He had 18 points and five rebounds against Northern Colorado, numbers that happen to be his averages in those two categories over the last four games.
Hargress recorded a CU-best 23 points in the win over UTSA, the 25th overall 20-point game in his collegiate career. He tied an overall career-high and a team season high with five 3-point field goals.
On the Big 12 charts, Hargress ranks sixth in field goal percentage, seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.2) and 10th in assists (4.9 apg).
Hargress has made his 30 of his last 46 from the field (.652), including 10 of 14 from 3-point range (.714).
Sophomore Sebastian Rancik is second on the team in rebounding (5.5 rpg) and third in scoring (13.2 ppg) and assists (28).
His rebounding numbers have picked up, averaging 6.3 rebounds over the last nine games. Rancik tied a career-high with nine against San Francisco.
Rancik leads the team and ranks fifth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage at 86.4 percent. He has made 57 of 66 from the line, which includes a string of 25-straight made between the Eastern Washington and UC Davis games.
Junior forward Bangot Dak leads the Buffaloes and is 17th in the Big 12 at 6.9 rebounds per game and eighth in blocks at 1.7 per outing. He is fourth on the team in scoring at 11.5 points per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the field.
Dak recorded his second career double-double in the win over Portland State with 10 points and 10 rebounds. He had a pair of blocks, marking his sixth straight game with at least two blocked shots.
Freshman Alon Michaeli is averaging 10.4 points on 50 percent shooting in his 11 games off the bench. He has scored in double figures in seven of those contests. Michaeli had a team-high 19 points at Colorado State, hitting 8 of 12 from the field. He just missed a double-double against Portland State with a career-high 10 rebounds and nine points.
CU IN THE NET: A snapshot of Colorado's NET rankings in 2025-26 (through games of Jan. 1).
Current: 84 | Highest: 39 (Dec. 2) | Lowest: 84 (Jan. 1)
Opponent Net Rank: 93 | Opponent Avg. Net: 157
Quad 1: 0-0 | Quad 2: 1-2 | Quad 3: 5-1 | Quad 4: 4-0
ABOUT THE SUN DEVILS: Arizona State is 9-4 overall and starts conference play on a two-game losing streak after falling to a Oregon State 78-75 at home and UCLA 90-77 on the road. The Sun Devils are averaging 80.0 points per game, shooting 46.4 percent from the field. ASU has been solid at getting to the free throw line, they are second in the Big 12 in free throw attempts per game with 25.5. Defensively, the Sun Devils are allowing 75.2 points per game, and have held opponents to 43.8 percent shooting. Arizona State has had success taking care of the ball with a 3.2 turnover margin which is fifth in the Big 12.
Senior guard Moe Odom leads the Sun Devil's at 16.2 points per game. Odom also is third in the Big 12 with 6.2 assists per game, that ranks 19th in the NCAA. The Sun Devils have two other players who average double-digits in points: senior guard Anthony Johnson (13.6) and freshman center Massamba Diop (13.2). Diop makes an impact on the defensive side of the ball with1.46 blocks per game. He has the 10th most total blocks in the Big 12 so far this season.
THE SERIES: This will be the 31st meeting between Colorado and Arizona State with the Buffaloes holding a 16-14 edge in the series. The Sun Devil's took both games last season in the first meetings in the Big 12. Arizona State holds a 10-4 advantage in Tempe although three of those Colorado wins have come in the last five trips
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