Colorado Guard Isaiah Johnson Makes History in Freshman Season

The Colorado Buffaloes were unable to finish the regular season with a win, falling to the Arizona Wildcats 89-79 on Saturday night.

However, one of the Colorado freshmen, Isaiah Johnson, put his into the Buffaleos' record books.

Colorado Buffaloes Freshman Guard Isaiah Johnson Freshman Scoring Record Coach Tad Boyle Big 12 Tournament NCAA Tournament — Feb 25, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard Isaiah Johnson (2) during the second half against the Kansas State Wildcats at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Isaiah Johnson Sets Freshmen Scoring Record at Colorado

Against the Wildcats, Johnson scored 28 points, and every one of those points helped him to hit the 526 points threshold that ranks him as the highest scoring freshman in Buffaloes basketball history.

526 points. the most by a freshman in program history.@isaiahj___ is built different pic.twitter.com/S4BvhUiryG
— Colorado Men's Basketball (@CUBuffsMBB) March 9, 2026

Johnson is a player with a very diverse skill set that has allowed him to be successful and set a record like this for Colorado. On his way to this mark, Johnson passed the likes of Alec Burks, Richard Roby, Chauncey Billups, and McKinley Wright IV.

Coach Tad Boyle has seen many of these players, but Johnson may be one of the best he has had the opportunity to coach and develop.

For Johnson to be on a list like this speaks very highly of him and his ability to be successful at the college level, both now and in the future.

Johnson’s ability to score at all three levels is something that gives him tremendous value as a scorer for the Buffaloes and someone they definitely want to keep in Boulder as long as they can.

Isaiah Johnson's 2025 Season

While a lot of focus has been on Isaiah Johnson as a freshman and what he has accomplished as a scorer, his offensive capability has been key to Colorado's success.

During 2025, Johnson has averaged 17.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. He has also been quite efficient. Johnson has shot 49.4 percent from the field, 38.8 percent from three, and 82.3 percent from the free-throw line.

Many freshman who do a lot of scoring can become very inefficient and take bad shots, but Johnson doesn’t do that. He instead lets the game come to him and when he has a driving lane available he takes it. He also will use his handles and abilities to generate good looks from mid-range and from beyond the arc.

Johnson has had several marquee performances, but his performance against the Wildcats may have been one of his best. Against Arizona, he scored 28 points but was also able to rack up five assists and three rebounds. He did all he could, but the Wildcats proved to be the better team on Saturday.

Earlier in the week, Johnson showcased his offensive ability but also how he can contribute on defense. Against the Utah Utes on Tuesday night, Johnson recorded 22 points, four assists, two rebounds, and three steals in a 92-78 Buffaloes win.

Johnson is not a one-way player, he is someone that has consietntly shown his ability to be a defensive presence on the perimeter forcing turnovers and getting steals to get Colorado’s offense going in transition.

Isaiah Johnson is someone that Colorado loves to have, especially this time of the year, where having someone that make tough shots is crucial. Johnson’s offensive and defensive abilities should play a major role in how far Colorado can go in the Big 12 Tournament, and if the Buffaloes can go dancing into the NCAA Tournament.

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