Buffs Battle Back, But Fall Short Against Undefeated Arizona State in Big 12 Opener
TEMPE, Ariz. - Colorado’s Big 12 debut didn’t go as planned on the scoreboard, but it wasn’t without grit. The Buffaloes (9-4, 0-1 Big 12) dropped their conference opener to a red-hot Arizona State squad (14-0, 1-0 Big 12), 79-63, on Sunday afternoon at Desert Financial Arena.
The Sun Devils came out swinging, building a commanding 16-point lead in the first quarter. But Colorado didn’t fold.
Instead, the Buffs clawed their way back, outscoring ASU in both the second and third quarters to make it a game heading into the final stretch. In the end, a late Sun Devil surge proved too much to overcome.
“I’m actually really proud of our resilience and our ability to fight back,” head coach JR Payne said postgame. **“It takes a tremendous amount of energy to claw your way back out of that, and we did...
What it took out of us to get to that place sort of ended our ability to finish the game. We certainly can't start games like that in conference, but really proud of our resilience to get out of that.”
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That resilience showed up in the stat sheet. Colorado outscored ASU in the paint (36-28), forced more turnovers and converted them into points (28-25), grabbed more offensive boards (10-5), and came away with more steals (14-9). But the early hole and the late-game execution favored the Sun Devils, who remain undefeated.
How It Unfolded
Arizona State wasted no time setting the tone, knocking down a three and a layup before Colorado could settle in. By the time the Buffs called their first timeout, ASU had already built a 15-2 lead.
But Colorado slowly started chipping away. Layups from Jade Masogayo and Anaëlle Dutat, a three from Tabitha Betson, and a jumper from Zyanna Walker helped CU close the quarter trailing 26-15.
The second quarter saw more of that fight. Dutat got things going with a layup off a turnover, and Masogayo and Addison O’Grady added buckets to cut the lead to single digits. A strong sequence from freshman Jade Crook and a late jumper from Walker sent the Buffs into halftime down just eight, 39-31.
Colorado came out of the break with energy. Walker drilled a three, Dutat hit from the line, and Masogayo spun her way to a layup that brought the Buffs within five. When Wooten connected from deep, the Sun Devils’ once-comfortable lead was down to two, 45-43.
But just as the Buffs were within striking distance, ASU responded with a 6-0 run. Colorado kept pace for a while-Masogayo and Walker kept attacking the paint-but the momentum began to tilt back toward the Sun Devils.
Masogayo opened the fourth with a layup and a jumper, and Walker hit another three to make it a two-point game again, 58-56. But ASU had one more gear. A pair of trips to the free-throw line and a dagger three-pointer sparked a 12-2 run that forced a Colorado timeout.
Freshman Logyn Greer added a couple of late layups, but the Buffs couldn’t close the gap. ASU finished the game on a 9-1 run to seal the 79-63 win.
Buffs’ Standouts
Despite the loss, several Buffs put together strong performances:
- Zyanna Walker led the way with 15 points, adding two rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Her ability to create her own shot gave CU a needed spark throughout the game.
- Jade Masogayo was a force inside, finishing with 14 points, four assists, two rebounds, and a steal.
She was especially effective in the second half, helping fuel Colorado’s comeback push.
- Anaëlle Dutat filled the stat sheet with 12 points, seven boards, five steals, and two assists. Her defensive activity and rebounding helped tilt momentum when the Buffs needed it most.
- Desiree Wooten added 11 points, three rebounds, three steals, and a pair of assists-providing balance on both ends of the floor.
- Freshmen contributions came from Jade Crook (four points, three boards) and Logyn Greer (four points, one rebound), while Tabitha Betson chipped in with three points and a well-rounded defensive effort.
What’s Next
The Buffs now turn their attention to their Big 12 home opener, set for Wednesday, Dec. 31, at the CU Events Center against Arizona. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. MT, and the game will stream live on ESPN+.
After a tough road loss, this next matchup gives Colorado a chance to reset and defend home court. If Sunday’s fight is any indication, this team has the grit to make some noise in the Big 12-it’s just a matter of starting fast and finishing stronger.
Game Notes:
- Colorado now sits at 15-17 all-time vs.
Arizona State.
- The Buffs are 109-150 in Big 12 play historically.
- CU led in points in the paint (36-28), points off turnovers (28-25), and steals (14-9).
For full coverage, stats, and updates, fans can follow the team on social media @CUBuffsWBB or visit CUBuffs.com.