Colorado University Athletics
Saturday, March 7
Boulder, Colo.
9 p.m.
Colorado
17-14,7-11Big 12
79
vs
89
Arizona
29-2,16-2Big 12
1
2
F
Arizona
36
53
89
Colorado
38
41
79
Colorado Drops Regular Season Finale To No. 2 Arizona
March 08, 2026 | Men's Basketball
BOULDER – Despite a career and record-setting night from Isaiah Johnson, the Colorado Buffaloes came up short in a 89-79 loss to No. 2-ranked Arizona Saturday night at the CU Events Center.
Colorado finished the regular season 17-14 and 7-11 in Big 12 play. The Buffs ended the year 11th in the Big 12 and 13-5 at home.
Arizona ended the regular season 29-2 and 16-2 in the Big 12 and finished first in the conference.
Isaiah Johnson led the way for Colorado with a new career-high 28 points. He is now the all-time leader in points by a freshman in a single-season, passing Alec Burks, who scored 512 points in 2009-10. Johnson now sits at 526 points this season.
"It definitely means a lot," Johnson said. "That's not easy to come by, being able to break that record. I'm just thankful that my coaches and my teammates have been able to put me in that position."
Barrington Hargress scored 13 points with two blocks and two steals. Jalin Holland added 12 points.
Arizona was led by a freshman duo of Brayden Burries and Koa Peat. Burries finished with 31, and Peat closed with 25 points.
After a fast start, Colorado built up an 11-point lead, but Arizona cut it down to two points at halftime. In the second half, Arizona shot 4-of-5 from deep after not making a single three in the first half to take its first lead of the game. As a team, Arizona shot 70.4 percent (19-27) in the second half.
With the game hovering at a one-point lead, Arizona pulled ahead thanks to Burries, who closed the game with 14 of his 22 second-half points in the final 10 minutes.
Arizona controlled the paint, scoring 54 points in the paint compared to only 26 for Colorado.
"We had to protect and defend the paint, and we didn't do that," head coach Tad Boyle said. "They scored 54 points in the paint, and that was the reason they won the game, and we didn't. That's really what it comes down to. It was our inability to do that."
Before the game, Colorado honored Elijah Malone as part of Senior Night festivities, and Malone celebrated with a season-high 29 minutes. He finished with seven points and a game-high eight rebounds.
"The thing I like about Elijah is he gives you everything he's got," Boyle commented. "He's pretty self-aware as a player, and he's a team-first guy." He's helped guys this season, even though he hasn't had the year he wanted. I'm really proud of Elijah Malone, the way he's handled himself this year."
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HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams started the game with physicality on defense, forcing tough shots. Johnson opened it up for the Buffs with five straight points, including a 3-pointer at the top of the key, to take a 9-6 lead with 15:32 left in the first half.
Hargress kept the defensive intensity going with a block that led to a transition dunk for Josiah Sanders. Alon Micheli followed it up with a 3-pointer in the left corner to stay ahead 17-14 eight minutes into the game.
Colorado got to the free-throw line when the shots weren't falling to stay ahead, making six over three minutes. Johnson followed that up with a 3-pointer on the left wing as the shot clock expired to put the Buffs up 26-18 with eight minutes left before halftime.
The lead continued to grow after another big-time defensive play by Hargress, this time with a steal going out of bounds. After saving the ball, Hargress found Sanders for another fastbreak dunk. Two straight 3-pointers by Johnson and Malone gave CU its largest lead of the game at 36-25 with 4:21 remaining in the first half.
Arizona responded by closing the half on an 11-2 run, but the Buffs led 38-36 at halftime.
Colorado controlled the glass and turned them into points. The Buffs totaled seven offensive rebounds for 11 second-chance points. From beyond the arc, the Buffs were 6-of-15 with four different players knocking one down. On the other end, Arizona did not make a 3-pointer, going 0-of-6 in the first 20 minutes.
Johnson led the Buffs with 15 first-half points, making three from long distance. Combined with Hargress, the two guards scored 24 of the Buffs' 38 points in the first half. For
Arizona, Peat tallied 19 in the first half and helped the Wildcats outscore Colorado 24-10 on points in the paint.
Unlike the first half, both teams had success scoring early after halftime. After the Wildcats made their first 3-pointer of the game to take their first lead, Arizona then extended the advantage to five points, until Johnson finished an acrobatic layup to cut the Arizona lead to 51-48 with 15:41 left in the game.
Six straight points from Bangot Dak gave Colorado the lead back, but a fourth foul sent him to the bench. Arizona reclaimed the advantage after a transition layup to go ahead 57-56 with 11:45 remaining.
The teams traded buckets before Arizona knocked down two straight 3-pointers to help push the Wildcats lead to 73-64 with seven minutes left.
Colorado got back to the free-throw line and used it to close the gap. Both Hargress and Johnson scored at the line to cut the Arizona lead to 78-70 with 3:36 left.
Arizona held on to win 89-79.
UP NEXT
Colorado will be the No. 11 seed in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament. The Buffaloes will begin play at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City against the 14th-seeded Oklahoma State Cowboys on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. (MT) on ESPN+.
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Colorado finished the regular season 17-14 and 7-11 in Big 12 play. The Buffs ended the year 11th in the Big 12 and 13-5 at home.
Arizona ended the regular season 29-2 and 16-2 in the Big 12 and finished first in the conference.
Isaiah Johnson led the way for Colorado with a new career-high 28 points. He is now the all-time leader in points by a freshman in a single-season, passing Alec Burks, who scored 512 points in 2009-10. Johnson now sits at 526 points this season.
"It definitely means a lot," Johnson said. "That's not easy to come by, being able to break that record. I'm just thankful that my coaches and my teammates have been able to put me in that position."
Barrington Hargress scored 13 points with two blocks and two steals. Jalin Holland added 12 points.
Arizona was led by a freshman duo of Brayden Burries and Koa Peat. Burries finished with 31, and Peat closed with 25 points.
After a fast start, Colorado built up an 11-point lead, but Arizona cut it down to two points at halftime. In the second half, Arizona shot 4-of-5 from deep after not making a single three in the first half to take its first lead of the game. As a team, Arizona shot 70.4 percent (19-27) in the second half.
With the game hovering at a one-point lead, Arizona pulled ahead thanks to Burries, who closed the game with 14 of his 22 second-half points in the final 10 minutes.
Arizona controlled the paint, scoring 54 points in the paint compared to only 26 for Colorado.
"We had to protect and defend the paint, and we didn't do that," head coach Tad Boyle said. "They scored 54 points in the paint, and that was the reason they won the game, and we didn't. That's really what it comes down to. It was our inability to do that."
Before the game, Colorado honored Elijah Malone as part of Senior Night festivities, and Malone celebrated with a season-high 29 minutes. He finished with seven points and a game-high eight rebounds.
"The thing I like about Elijah is he gives you everything he's got," Boyle commented. "He's pretty self-aware as a player, and he's a team-first guy." He's helped guys this season, even though he hasn't had the year he wanted. I'm really proud of Elijah Malone, the way he's handled himself this year."
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HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams started the game with physicality on defense, forcing tough shots. Johnson opened it up for the Buffs with five straight points, including a 3-pointer at the top of the key, to take a 9-6 lead with 15:32 left in the first half.
Hargress kept the defensive intensity going with a block that led to a transition dunk for Josiah Sanders. Alon Micheli followed it up with a 3-pointer in the left corner to stay ahead 17-14 eight minutes into the game.
Colorado got to the free-throw line when the shots weren't falling to stay ahead, making six over three minutes. Johnson followed that up with a 3-pointer on the left wing as the shot clock expired to put the Buffs up 26-18 with eight minutes left before halftime.
The lead continued to grow after another big-time defensive play by Hargress, this time with a steal going out of bounds. After saving the ball, Hargress found Sanders for another fastbreak dunk. Two straight 3-pointers by Johnson and Malone gave CU its largest lead of the game at 36-25 with 4:21 remaining in the first half.
Arizona responded by closing the half on an 11-2 run, but the Buffs led 38-36 at halftime.
Colorado controlled the glass and turned them into points. The Buffs totaled seven offensive rebounds for 11 second-chance points. From beyond the arc, the Buffs were 6-of-15 with four different players knocking one down. On the other end, Arizona did not make a 3-pointer, going 0-of-6 in the first 20 minutes.
Johnson led the Buffs with 15 first-half points, making three from long distance. Combined with Hargress, the two guards scored 24 of the Buffs' 38 points in the first half. For
Arizona, Peat tallied 19 in the first half and helped the Wildcats outscore Colorado 24-10 on points in the paint.
Unlike the first half, both teams had success scoring early after halftime. After the Wildcats made their first 3-pointer of the game to take their first lead, Arizona then extended the advantage to five points, until Johnson finished an acrobatic layup to cut the Arizona lead to 51-48 with 15:41 left in the game.
Six straight points from Bangot Dak gave Colorado the lead back, but a fourth foul sent him to the bench. Arizona reclaimed the advantage after a transition layup to go ahead 57-56 with 11:45 remaining.
The teams traded buckets before Arizona knocked down two straight 3-pointers to help push the Wildcats lead to 73-64 with seven minutes left.
Colorado got back to the free-throw line and used it to close the gap. Both Hargress and Johnson scored at the line to cut the Arizona lead to 78-70 with 3:36 left.
Arizona held on to win 89-79.
UP NEXT
Colorado will be the No. 11 seed in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament. The Buffaloes will begin play at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City against the 14th-seeded Oklahoma State Cowboys on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. (MT) on ESPN+.
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Team Stats
UA
CU
FG%
.559
.406
3FG%
.364
.318
FT%
.731
.952
RB
37
32
TO
9
9
STL
8
8
Game Leaders
Pts
28
FGM
7
3FGM
4
FTM
10
Pts
13
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
8
Pts
12
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
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