Colorado Beats Arizona State 95-89 in Big 12 Opener

TEMPE, Ariz. The Colorado Buffaloes secured a 95-89 victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils on Saturday, kicking off Big 12 conference play with a hard-fought road win at Desert Financial Arena.

Colorado jumped out to a strong start, building a lead of up to 14 points in the first half before taking a 48-38 advantage into halftime. The Buffaloes maintained control through much of the second half, relying on sharp free-throw shooting to fend off a late surge from Arizona State. The Sun Devils mounted a 10-0 run to claim their first lead of the game since the early going, at 81-80 with 3:50 remaining. However, foul trouble plagued Arizona State down the stretch, allowing Colorado to capitalize with 14 points from the foul line in the final minutes.

Freshman guard Isaiah Johnson proved pivotal for Colorado, scoring a game-high 19 points, including a pair of free throws with 1:50 left that put the Buffaloes back in front. Sebastian Rancik added 18 points, going 12-for-14 from the line, while Barrington Hargress contributed 17 points. Bangot Dak notched his third double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Buffaloes shot an impressive 25 of 31 from the...