Game Overview

The Arizona State Sun Devils (9-5, 0-1 Big 12) faced off against the Colorado Buffaloes (11-3, 1-0) in a thrilling contest that ended with a 95-89 loss at Desert Financial Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Sun Devils entered the game with a few challenges, as starting forward Santiago Trouet was ruled out shortly before tip-off due to a leg injury sustained during practice. Additionally, starting forward Andrija Grbovic was available off the bench after recovering from an illness.

For the first time this season, the starting five consisted of Moe Odum, Bryce Ford, Noah Meeusen, Allen Mukeba, and Massamba Diop.

First Half Highlights

The game started relatively evenly, but Colorado quickly built a 14-point lead with under five minutes remaining in the first half. There was some confusion later in the half when Allen Mukeba went down grabbing his hand. He was subbed out for Grbovic, who was assumed to be taking the free throws, only for Diop to end up at the line instead.

Late heroics from Diop and Anthony “Pig” Johnson kept the Sun Devils within reach. However, a buzzer-beating layup by Colorado put Arizona State at a 48-38 disadvantage at halftime.

Second Half Surge

Arizona State made a strong push in the first six minutes of the second half, cutting the Colorado lead to 59-56 at the 13:43 mark. This came after a balanced offensive effort and key defensive adjustments.

Colorado pushed back ahead by double digits at one point, but incredible efforts from Moe Odum, who excelled at distributing the ball, and Massamba Diop on both sides of the court helped bring the Sun Devils back into contention.

A string of suffocating defense, strong ball movement, and emphatic finishes on the interior kept the momentum going. This led to the Sun Devils narrowing the deficit to just two points at the 4:35 mark of the second half. Arizona State took an 81-80 lead 31 seconds later behind a three-point play off of a Diop dunk.

Despite a pair of missed free throws from Colorado on consecutive trips to the line, which kept the Sun Devils within a three-point deficit with 45 seconds remaining, another turnover proved costly.

Key Performers

• Massamba Diop: 20 PTS, 3 REB, 7 BLK
• Anthony “Pig” Johnson: 20 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 8-14 FG
• Moe Odum: 21 PTS, 12 AST, 2 STL
• Andrija Grbovic: 8 PTS, 4 REB, 2-5 3PTFG
• Allen Mukeba: 16 PTS, 6 REB, 2 BLK

Upcoming Schedule

The Sun Devils are set to travel to face top-10 Brigham Young, led by freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa, this coming Tuesday. They will then return home to take on Kansas State next Saturday.

Additional Coverage

Read more about why the Arizona State men’s basketball team is expected to exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season, and why the bright future of the football program remains undimmed despite the loss to Arizona.

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Coaching Staff Updates

Key Arizona State coaching staff positions have been officially filled. The program has also secured visits with elite WR transfers and is likely to receive visits from several key transfers.

Previewing Big 12 Opener vs. Colorado

This game marked the Sun Devils’ Big 12 opener against Colorado, setting the stage for what promises to be a competitive season.