Buffs Face Arizona State In First Big 12 Road Test

Game 13 - Arizona State, Saturday, January 4, 2025
Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz.

Tip: 4:01 p.m. MT

Watch: ESPN+ (James Westling, Corey Williams)

Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)

Listen Online: Sirius XM 387, SXM App 977

Live Statistics: https://buffs.me/41RjSMp

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 9-3 overall after falling to No. 3 (AP & Coaches) Iowa State 79-69 in its Big 12 Conference opener at the CU Events Center on Dec. 30. The loss snapped a four-game overall winning streak for the Buffaloes and an 11-game home winning streak dating back to last season.

Colorado played its first Big 12 regular season game since March 5, 2011, a 67-57 home win over Nebraska. Led by then first-year head coach Tad Boyle, the Buffaloes tied for fifth place in the league standings that season at 8-8 advancing to the Big 12 Championship semifinals. Colorado won a then-school record 24 games in 2010-11 (24-14), finishing its season in the NIT semifinals at Madison Square Garden.

Saturday's game, Colorado's 13th of 2024-25, is the latest for the Buffaloes' first true road game in any season in program history. It's the latest in a calendar year since the Buffaloes traveled to play at Colorado College on Jan. 5, 1945, but that was only the fourth game of the season. Colorado did play three high-level games at the prestigious Maui Invitational away from home. A thrilling 73-72 win over then-No. 2/2 ranked UConn on the tournament's second day (Nov. 26) highlighted the trip for the Buffaloes who eventually fell to No. 5/5 Iowa State 99-71 in the consolation final (fifth place game) on Nov. 27 to round out the event with a 1-2 record.

Colorado is averaging 76.1 points per game, shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 36.7 percent from 3-point range. Defensively, Colorado is allowing 69.3 points per game while opponents are shooting 41.4 percent.

The Buffaloes have had a flair for the dramatic this season. Colorado has had to overcome double-figure deficits in three wins including a rally from 11-down in the win over Pacific. The Buffaloes erased a 17-point deficit in the opener over Eastern Washington.

Colorado is 3-2 this season when trailing at the half, compared to the 2024 NCAA Tournament team that won just two of 10 contests in that situation. The Buffaloes are 3-0 in games decided by 10 points or less.

GRAND GRADS: As anticipated, Colorado's three graduate transfers, spanning all levels of collegiate basketball, have made immediate impacts for the Buffaloes.

Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, is averaging 11.2 points per game while tying for the team lead in steals (14) and ranking third in 3-point field goals (18) and rebounding at 4.7 per contest. He is closing in on 1,000 points for his collegiate career, needing 22 for that milestone.

Jakimovski had 17 points against Pacific, leading the Buffaloes in scoring for the third time. He had four 3-point field goals, the third one giving him 200 for his collegiate career.

Jakimovski averaged 11.3 points and a team-best 6.0 rebounds at the Maui Invitational. He had Colorado's first double-double of the season, and the fifth of his collegiate career with 12 points and 10 rebounds against UConn. He also hit the eventual game-winning shot against the No. 2 ranked Huskies with under eight seconds remaining.

It was Jakimovski's eighth career double-figure rebounding game. One of his four previous double-doubles came against Colorado while he was at Washington State on Jan. 30, 2022.

Elijah Malone, the 2024 Bevo Francis Award winner as the best small-school player in the nation (Grace College [Ind.] - NAIA) tops the Buffaloes in shooting at 65.1 percent (54-83) while averaging 11.5 points an outing. Malone is also shooting 77.1 percent from the free throw line (27-35) and is third on the team in blocks (10) and fourth in rebounding at 3.8 per game.

Malone had 15 points and a personal CU-high nine rebounds against South Dakota State. He hit 7 of 8 from the field, matching the team's best this season in terms of percentage (.875) with at least four field goals made. Malone has made 17 of his last 21 from the field (.810), spanning the last four games.

Against Harvard, he went over the 2,000-point milestone for his collegiate career.

Trevor Baskin, an NCAA Division II All-American at Colorado Mesa, leads Colorado and ranks 16th in the Big 12 in rebounding (6.3 rpg) and is 14th in blocked shots (1.0 bpg) while averaging 8.7 points on 50.8 percent from the field.

Baskin flirted with a triple-double against Pacific, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. It was his 23rd collegiate double-double and first with CU. His seven assists were a team season-high and were an overall collegiate personal best (he had six in a game at New Mexico Highlands on Feb. 23, 2024).

Against Colorado State, Baskin recorded a team season-high 11 rebounds, just missing a second double-double with nine points along with two blocks, two steals and two assists.

HAMMOND TIME: Julian Hammond III, the most experienced player in terms of games for the Buffaloes (played in his 100th career game against Iowa State), leads Colorado at 13.8 points and 3.6 assists per game. Hammond also tops the Buffaloes in 3-point field goals (24) and is shooting 93.1 percent from the free throw line.

Hammond is averaging 18 points over the last three games. He had a game-high 21 points against Iowa State, marking the fourth 20-point game of his career and second in three contests. Hammond had a career-high game against South Dakota State with 23 points, on 8 of 14 from the field along with seven assists.

Hammond has made his last 20 free throw attempts including a 3 for 3 performance against Bellarmine, in a game which he scored 10 points, dished out five assists and tied a team season high with four steals.

Hammond led Colorado at the Maui Invitational averaging 17.0 points while shooting 54.5 percent from the field (18-33), 52.9 percent from 3-point range (9-17) and hitting a perfect 6 of 6 from the free throw line.

SMITH'S HOT START: Sophomore guard RJ Smith is averaging 8.7 points while shooting 54 percent from the field in his return to action after missing the final 30 games of 2023-24 with a leg injury.

Smith is averaging 12 points over the last three games including a career-high 14 against Iowa State, on 5 of 10 from the field and 3 of 6 from 3-point range. Against Bellarmine, Smith scored 11 points hitting 3 of 4 from 3-point range and led the Buffaloes in rebounding for the first time in his career, finishing with five. Against South Dakota State, he was 4 of 6 from the field including 3 of 5 from 3-point range.

Smith has made 17 of his last 27 from 3-point range over the last seven games and is shooting a team-best 59.0 percent overall from long range (23-39).

In Maui, Smith averaged 5.3 points and was second on the team in assists with eight. He had eight points hitting a perfect 3 of 3 from the field against UConn.

DIOP CAREER GAME: Sophomore forward Assane Diop led Colorado in scoring for the first time with a career-best 15 points on 7 of 11 from the field in the win over Bellarmine. It marked his second career double-figure scoring game. Diop ranks second on the team in rebounding at 4.7 per game.

BD's BIG DAY: Sophomore forward Bangot Dak led the Buffaloes against CSU scoring a career-high 16 points on 7 of 8 from the field along with four rebounds. He doubled his previous career-best of eight points, set previously against Iowa State. It was his first time leading Colorado in scoring and the 7 of 8 performance from the field (.875) is the team's best percentage wise this year with at least four field goals made.

Dak is averaging 6.2 points on the season and is second on the team in blocks (11) and fifth in rebounding (3.4 rpg). He led the Buffaloes in rebounding for the first time with a career-high eight against Iowa State. Dak also dished out a career-best five assists against the Cyclones.

ABOUT THE SUN DEVILS: Arizona State is 9-3 overall, dropping its Big 12 opener at BYU, 76-56 on Dec. 31. The Sun Devils will be playing just their fifth home game of the season and first in over a month, since a 90-53 win over San Diego on Dec. 3. ASU averages 76.7 points while shooting 45.2 percent from the field. The Sun Devils shoot 36.7 from 3-point range, ranking fourth in the Big 12. Defensively, Arizona State allows 71.8 points while opponents shoot 41.5 percent. ASU ranks third in the Big 12 in blocked shots at 5.3 per game.

Joson Sanon leads Arizona State in scoring at 13.5 points per game with a team-best 28 3-point field goals, shooting 48.3 percent from downtown. Basheer Jihad averages 13.3 points on 46.9 percent from the field. Jayden Quaintance leads Arizona State in rebounding at 8.1 per game and tops the Big 12 in blocked shots at 3.2 per game.

THE SERIES: This will be the 29th meeting between Colorado and Arizona State with the Buffaloes holding a 16-12 edge in the series. The teams split last year's Pac-12 Conference battles, both winning at home. Arizona holds a 9-4 advantage in Tempe although three of those Colorado wins have come in the last four trips.

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Players Mentioned

Trevor Baskin

Bangot Dak

Assane Diop

Julian Hammond III

Andrej Jakimovski

Elijah Malone

RJ Smith