Colorado Buffaloes freshman guard, Isaiah Johnson, and sophomore forward, Sebastian Rancik, playing against Arizona State University at the CU Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 7th, 2026 (Aspen Doust/CU Independent).
With seven games left in their regular season, Colorado men’s basketball has surpassed last season’s Big 12 win total.
Led by junior guard Barrington Hargress and freshman guard Isaiah Johnson, the Colorado Buffaloes (14-10, 4-7 Big 12 ) swept the season series against the Arizona State Sun Devils (12-12, 3-8 Big 12 ), 78-70.
After not being able to grab a single rebound against Baylor in his last game, sophomore forward Sebastian Rancik brought down 11 boards in his first career double-double.
“About time, huh,” Rancik said after the game.
Hargress shot 67% from the field, tying his season-high 23 points while Johnson’s only misses were six 3-pointers as he added 16 points of his own. Junior forward Bangot Dak had 12 points and brought a high level of energy to the Buffs squad.
Both teams were neck and neck to begin the first half, with Colorado hitting on two of its first three 3-pointers while Arizona State put down their layups. The Buffs’ perimeter defense began hot, forcing misses on four of ASU’s first five 3-pointers.
Hargress took the opportunity to hit a 3-pointer of his own before a driving layup on back-to-back possessions, to help put the Buffs ahead by seven with 13 minutes left.
The Sun Devils’ 3-point shooting came back to them as senior guard Moe Odum drained a shot from deep helping them cut the lead down to three.
Sophomore forward Sebastian Rancik drew contact for a foul and sank a 3-pointer of his own on the next possession as Colorado got back in front by eight before Dak got back-to-back dunks.
Rancik was there to drill another three before the half, but a technical foul on graduate forward Elijah Malone helped ASU cut the lead to just seven before the second frame.
The Sun Devils made their adjustments in the locker room and came out on a 10-2 run to take back the lead, 42-41.
Hargress put up Colorado’s first six points during the second half, responding to Odum’s 3-point shooting.
Johnson picked up the slack, as the two teams went back-and-forth scoring on eight consecutive possessions, holding the Buffs’ lead to three.
A 7-0 run for the Buffs allowed that lead to swell up to eight with under nine minutes remaining, but freshman forward Massamba Diop and Odum cut the lead to just two across the next three minutes.
Colorado Buffaloes junior guard, Barrington Hargress, playing against Arizona State University at the CU Events Center on Saturday, Feb. 7th, 2026 (Aspen Doust/CU Independent).
Rancik was there to rise to the moment, draining a 3-pointer after a Dak put-back jumper to fend off the late surge, 69-62.
Johnson earned an and-one before a Dak slam helped maintain the lead and ice the game at eight with under a minute left.
Despite holding Arizona State to just 40% shooting, Colorado struggled to pull away.
“I just felt like we had to score every time just to maintain a three-point lead,” head coach Tad Boyle said.
Colorado out-rebounded Arizona State 40-26, in no small part due to 11 rebounds from Rancik in his first career double-double.
“His 11 rebounds, that, you know, is the difference in his play tonight,” Boyle said. “He’s always been a guy that makes the right play.”
Rancik, who is from Slovakia, had his mother and grandfather in attendance to help support him for one last game before they headed home.
“Family means everything to us,” Racik said. “Just having them around, being able to talk my language and just kind of spend time with them is a blessing.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Jake Chau at jake.chau@colorado.edu.
