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Published Jan 28, 2025
Scouting Report: Colorado
Ryan Myers
Staff Writer
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The rollercoaster ride continues for a struggling Arizona State (11-8, 2-6 Big 12) squad. After a formidable road victory over No. 23 West Virginia, the program hosted No. 3 Iowa State in a thrilling contest that ended in a 76-61 defeat. Despite winning just one of its last six games, head coach Bobby Hurley’s team has shown it can compete against any team in the Big 12 Conference. Their next matchup is against a familiar face in Colorado (9-10, 0-8), which could offer an opportunity for another road win.


On Saturday, one of the nation’s premier programs rolled into Tempe as the Cyclones sat at the top of the conference. The Sun Devils played with added passion and intensity for 40 minutes, leading 40-33 at halftime after dominating on both ends. But, as has often been the case, costly turnovers prevented them from mounting an upset. Iowa State’s 21-5 run in the final six minutes sealed the win despite a strong 34 minutes from ASU.


“It’s a results business, we’re not getting results,” Hurley said following the Iowa State loss. “I will say that I don’t think they thought it was easy or sweet until they broke it open at the five-minute mark of the game.


“We’re starting to figure some things out. But ultimately, you gotta win; there’s no moral victories.”


Tuesday’s game won’t feature a ranked opponent; instead, ASU will face Colorado for the second time in the 2024-25 season. Both former Pac-12 programs have struggled in their new league, as Colorado is still winless in conference play and the only Big 12 team with a losing record this season. It will, however, have to face the Buffs without the services of freshman forward Jayden Quaintance, who injured his ankle last Thursday, played through the injury against Iowa State a couple of days later, but according to Hulrley will sit out tonight's game.


When these teams met on Jan. 4 at Desert Financial Arena, ASU dominated on both ends of the floor. The 20-point win marked the Sun Devils’ second-largest margin of victory in the 2024-25 season. ASU shot over 51% from the floor and 46% from beyond the arc, while the Buffs shot just 34.8% and only 12.5% from three.


The Sun Devils jumped out to an early 13-6 lead within four minutes, and from there, it was smooth sailing. They led by as much as 23 points in the first half. ASU shared the scoring load well, with senior guard BJ Freeman leading the way with 19 points, followed by senior forward Basheer Jihad’s 17. Freshman Quaintance and Amir Ali took advantage of the lopsided affair, as Quaintance scored 11 points with three blocks and two steals, while Ali set a career-high with 10 points off the bench.


A hot shooting night for ASU led to the dominant win. The Buffs did compete in several key statistical categories despite the loss, including 40 bench points, 23 of which came courtesy of 6-foot-9 graduate forward Trevor Baskin. He shot 9-for-14 from the field, grabbed 10 rebounds, and earned four steals. Baskin played his first four collegiate seasons at Colorado Mesa, where he was a three-time All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference First Team selection. In the 2024-25 season, through 19 games, he averages 8.7 points and 5.8 rebounds, with six starts.


Offensively, Colorado has struggled this season, sitting 12th in the conference in points per game (72.8). The lack of scoring is inconsistent with its field goal percentage, as the Buffs shoot 45.8% from the field and 34.8% from beyond the arc, both of which rank in the top 10 in the conference. Colorado’s main issue is turnovers: the Buffs lead the Big 12 in turnovers per game (15.1) and boast the worst turnover margin (-3.32), as giveaways continue to derail their offensive production.


Defensively, the Buffs don’t get much better. They allow over 71 points per game, ranking 14th in the league. Combined with their lackluster scoring, their point differential is just 0.3 points per game, the second-lowest in the conference. While Colorado doesn't allow easy shots, the team struggles to slow down well-tuned offenses, as it lacks premier defenders at any position.


Despite these struggles, Colorado is not to be underestimated, with a variety of players who can impact a game at any moment. Leading the charge is senior guard Jullian Hammond III, a Denver native who leads the team in scoring at 13.9 points per game. Hammond is a skilled three-level scorer, shooting 45% from the field and over 41% from three. The crafty shot maker excels in the midrange game, where he can create opportunities for himself and others. As the team’s leader in assists (3.2 per game), he runs the offense in Boulder. In the first meeting, ASU nullified Hammond’s impact on the perimeter, holding him scoreless. He finished 0-for-7, marking his only scoreless game of his season.


Hammond’s primary support comes from graduate forward Andrej Jakimovski. The North Macedonian is the Buffs' second-leading scorer at 10.1 points per game. He relies on a slow-paced inside-out game, reminiscent of his time in the Italian second division. However, Jakimovski shoots just 39% from the field and is prone to cold stretches. He went 4-for-14 in the first meeting with ASU.


Hurley’s defensive scheme against Colorado’s two leading scorers worked wonders in the first meeting, holding the duo to a combined 4-for-21 shooting for just nine points, even though both played 30 minutes each. ASU’s ability to shut down the opposition’s star players has been inconsistent, as evidenced by Saturday’s game against Iowa State, where leading scorer Curtis Jones (18.6 points per game) exploded for a career-high 33 points, dominating the Sun Devils with his versatile shot-making and basketball IQ.


For ASU, Tuesday’s road matchup is critical to reestablishing a positive tone for the remainder of the season. Despite falling short in several contests, the Sun Devils have proven they can compete with anyone. Hurley understands the importance of finishing strong, regardless of the opponent.


“I’m looking at Colorado, and my main thing is I don’t know what Colorado’s doing today, but you know they’re going to be desperate,” Hurley said. “We have to be desperate again, just like we were prior to West Virginia. And I felt like we were that way [Saturday]. We came in here to win, and we played a winning game for 35 minutes. We had a meltdown for about two minutes, and it cost us. That game is on Tuesday again. So here we go, two days, and we’ve got to get back out on the road again.”


The contest will tip-off tonight at 7 p.m. MST and air on ESPN+

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