Tempe, Ariz. — Arizona State delivered an early knockout punch and never fully relinquished control, turning back a determined Colorado comeback to earn a 79–63 victory Sunday night at Desert Financial Arena in the Big 12 opener for both programs.
The unbeaten Sun Devils raced to a 17–2 advantage in the first 5:09, forcing Colorado to chase the game from the opening minutes. Arizona State’s pressure defense and blistering shooting set the tone, as the home team connected on nearly 60 percent of its attempts for the night and consistently put the Buffs on their heels.
Colorado (9–4) showed resilience, clawing its way back after the disastrous start. The Buffs cut the deficit to just two points in the fourth quarter, but the energy required to erase such a large early hole eventually caught up with them.
“I’m really proud of our resilience and our ability to fight back,” said Colorado head coach JR Payne. “It takes a tremendous amount of energy to claw your way back out of that. I think what it took out of us to get there affected our ability to finish.”
Arizona State (14–0) was sharp from the opening tip, shooting 76.9 percent in the first quarter and 59.1 percent overall (26-of-44). The Sun Devils also won the rebounding battle 29–25 and forced 19 Colorado turnovers, repeatedly capitalizing on extra possessions.
The Buffs never led, but briefly made things interesting when Zyanna Walker drilled a 3-pointer to pull Colorado within 58–56 with 8:23 remaining in the contest. Even after Desiree Wooten’s free throws trimmed the margin to five points with just over six minutes to play, Arizona State responded with a decisive 7–0 run that restored breathing room and sealed the game.
Walker paced Colorado with 15 points, followed by Jade Masogayo with 14. Anaelle Dutat posted a strong all-around performance with 12 points, seven boards, five steals, and two assists, while Wooten chipped in 11.
Arizona State’s depth proved decisive. McKinna Brackens came off the bench to score a game-high 18 points, going 8-of-9 from the free-throw line while adding five boards and three assists. Marley Washenitz chipped in 13 points on efficient shooting, along with four assists and three steals.
Freshman guard Logyn Greer, Colorado’s leading scorer entering the game, endured a difficult Big 12 debut. Early foul trouble limited her to just four points, all coming late, before she fouled out.
“That physicality is a wake-up call for some young players,” Payne said. “These are big, strong, physical women. That adjustment is part of conference play.”
Despite the loss, Payne highlighted Dutat’s effort as a bright spot.
“She’s a coach’s dream,” Payne said. “She gives you great effort every single night, and she was outstanding on the glass.”
Up Next: Colorado returns home to host Arizona on Dec. 31 at the CU Events Center (7 p.m., ESPN+).
