Full Arizona State-Colorado Preview and Prediction

The Sun Devils are officially opening up Big 12 play on Saturday afternoon.

Dec 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Anthony Johnson (2) drives past UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) for a basket in the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- The Arizona State Sun Devils (9-4) are opening up Big 12 play on Saturday afternoon against a former Pac-12 rival in the Colorado Buffaloes (10-3) in Tempe.

The Sun Devils and Buffaloes are both coming off of disheartening losses, but remain potential sleepers for the 2026 NCAA tournament - a win on Saturday would go a long way towards aiding the victor.

Arizona State on SI previews the game that is set to be played later today below - with broadcast details, the official injury report, an Arizona State x-factor, and game prediction.

Game Details

WHO: Colorado @ Arizona State

WHERE: Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, AZ

WHEN: 3:00 P.M. MST

BROADCAST NETWORK: ESPN2

Dec 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) and Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) fight for a rebound in the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The skinny: Colorado began the season with a 10-1 record behind the incredible coaching job of Tad Boyle, and have been headlined by freshman guard Isaiah Johnson, who is averaging north of 15 PPG on over 50% shooting from the field.

However, the Buffaloes have been reeling as of late - as they dropped their final two games of non-conference play. Colorado fell to Stanford by a score of 77-68, while they lost to Northern Colorado by a score of 86-81 in what was a shocking loss.

The Sun Devils dropped their final two games of non-conference play as well, including a humbling 78-75 defeat at the hands of Oregon State on December 21.

In short, both squads are seeking to right the ship in the midst of a brutal league schedule that is to come.

Injury Report

Arizona State and Colorado were both required to unveil a player availability report on Friday night - something that has become a mandate from the Big 12 conference ahead of scheduled games.

Adante’ Holiman, Vijay Wallace, Kash Polk, Dame Salane, and Jovan Ictovic were all ruled out. Holiman continues to recover from what head coach Bobby Hurley has stated is an elbow issue - it remains to be seen if the talented scoring guard will be able to return this season. Wallace is definitvely out for the season after dislocating his ankle in an exhibition game against Texas A&M in late October. The belief is that Polk, Salane, and Ictovic will redshirt.

Starting forwards Andrija Grbovic and Santiago Trouet are both listed as questionable due to unspecified injuries, which has clear potential to impact strategy during the game, while Allen Mukeba and Trevor Best - who were injured in the last two games - aren't listed on the report.

ASU Sun Devils forward Allen Mukeba (23) drives in to the lane against the Oklahoma Sooners at Mortgage Matchup Center on Dec. 6, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

X-Factor: Marcus Adams Jr.

The potential absences of Trouet and Grbovic make a statement game from Adams all the more vital on Saturday.

Adams' story is well-known - the former four-star wing now has a solid opportunity to showcase his well-rounded scoring ability and chops as a help-side defender. An unfortunate injury suffered in September made the transition into the regular season more difficult, and it took time for the sophomore to ease into Hurley's rotation.

Adams emerged in the three-game stretch against Oklahoma, NAU, and Santa Clara - shooting 66% from three-point range during the same string of games. Adams struggled in the two-game losing streak, as he shot 2-9 in those games. This is an ideal matchup for Adams to once again emerge, as they give up around 77 points per contest.

Prediction: Arizona State Win

Colorado's offense is quite potent - averaging nearly 86 PPG as a team. However, the recent defensive lapses, the loss to Northern Colorado, and starting forward Bangot Dak being an unknown for the game are all working against the Buffaloes.

Expect this to be another classic chess match between Boyle and Hurley - a high-scoring affair that mirrors previous games the programs played in the Pac-12 is certainly in the cards.

Ultimately, the Sun Devils will come out on top and set the tone for Big 12 play in a positive manner.

ASU Sun Devils guard Moe Odum (5) brings the ball upcourt against the Oregon State Beavers at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Dec. 21, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the bright future of the football program isn’t dimmed by the loss to Arizona here.

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