Full Preview and Prediction of Arizona State's Rematch With Colorado

TEMPE -- The Arizona State Sun Devils (12-11, 3-7 Big 12) are set to close out a two-game road trip against the Colorado Buffaloes (13-10, 3-7) on Saturday night in what is set to be a fight for survival against a pair of programs that are battling to climb up the conference standings.

This game serves as a rematch of the 95-89 loss the Sun Devils accrued against Colorado in the conference opener on January 3. Arizona State is coming off of a 71-63 win over Utah on Wednesday, while Colorado lost to Baylor by a score of 86-67 on the same night.

Follow Arizona State on SI covering key aspects of the game - including broadcast details, a key Colorado player to watch, and a game prediction below.

Game Details

WHO: Arizona State @ Colorado

WHERE: CU Events Center, Boulder, CO

WHEN: 7:30 P.M. MST

Broadcast Network: ESPN2

The Skinny: Colorado's three wins in Big 12 play have been over ASU, Utah, and TCU. The Buffaloes lost in a competitive manner to Texas Tech, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Kansas, and UCF as well.

Colorado went into the season projected to finish at the bottom of the Big 12 according to both media and coaches, although they have overachieved to this point of the season under the leadership of Tad Boyle.

The Sun Devils are officially seeking to begin their first win streak in the league since joining at the onset of the 2024-25 season. The team has largely been competitive in losses in this campaign - save for lopsided defeats to BYU and Houston.

lknnkln — Jan 3, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard Isaiah Johnson (center) drives to the basket against Arizona State Sun Devils guard Anthony Johnson (left) and forward Andrija Grbovic in the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Colorado Led by Impressive Freshman

One of the hallmarks of the Colorado season has been consistent availability and scoring outputs from four different players on the roster - all four have played in all 23 games to this point, as well as averaging 10 points per contest.

The Buffaloes are led by Los Angeles native and freshman guard Isaiah Johnson, who averages 16.3 points per contest despite only starting in six of 23 games.

Johnson has been efficient as a scorer and has continued to grow as a table-setter for others throughout his freshman campaign - he is almost certainly the x-factor for Colorado later today.

Arizona State X-factor: Massamba Diop

Diop's three-game stretch of 20+ points to begin conference play hasn't been replicated since, although the freshman center is coming off of a 15-point showing against Utah - where the former Spanish league player displayed a superb focus at the free throw line.

Diop experienced an incredible amount of success in his first matchup against Colorado, as he scored 20 points and blocked seven shots against the Buffaloes on January 3.

Diop's ability to serve as a roll-man, play finisher, and disrputive defender at the rim will render him as an ideal matchup against Colorado.

Sun Devils Will Have Abbreviated Rotation Again

The status surrounding starting forward Santiago Trouet is uncertain after missing his second game of the season on Wednesday, while Allen Mukeba is seemingly dealing with an undisclosed ailment as well.

The uncertainty is compounded by the absence of Marcus Adams Jr., who last played in the previous meeting between the two programs. The ultimate likelihood is that Arizona State will be confined to a two-man bench rotation of guards Noah Meeusen and Anthony "Pig" Johnson - who bring diverse skillsets to the table, although having no bigs off of the bench has potential to be an issue.

Prediction: Arizona State Win

Arizona State and Hurley have their backs against the wall once again - they are set to take on a squad that they will look to avoid a sweep against this season here.

Arizona State is set to face abbreviated rotations, heightened altitude, and more - they will withstand these tests in the end.

fefewfee — Feb 4, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley watches the team warm up before the game against the Utah Utes at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Read more on the bold strategy that head coach Hurley employed with comments on 1/21 here, and on why Arizona State may have saved the season with the win over Cincinnati on Saturday here..

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