Colorado Buffaloes Experiment With Smaller Lineup Against Arizona State

Buffaloes coach Tad Boyle has used a smaller starting lineup in recent games with mixed results.

Feb. 6, 2026 at 10:39pm

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Colorado coach Tad Boyle has experimented with a smaller starting lineup in the Buffaloes' last two games, yielding mixed results. The smaller lineup led to a win over TCU but a blowout loss to Baylor. Boyle hasn't revealed if he'll use the smaller lineup again when Colorado hosts Arizona State on Saturday. The Sun Devils are coming off a road win over Utah in which they used a zone defense to overcome their own depth issues, jumping out to a big early lead.

Why it matters

Colorado's lineup decisions could have a big impact on the outcome of their matchup with Arizona State, as the two teams are tied in the Big 12 standings. The Buffaloes' use of a smaller, younger lineup is an intriguing strategic move that could pay dividends if it works, but also carries risks as seen in the loss to Baylor.

The details

In Colorado's win over TCU, Boyle started four freshmen and a smaller lineup. The smaller lineup failed to produce against the larger Baylor team, with the Buffaloes losing 86-67. No Colorado starter had more than three rebounds, and the four starting freshmen combined for just 29 points. Meanwhile, Arizona State overcame its own depth issues against Utah by using a zone defense they had rarely deployed all season, jumping out to a big early lead they would not relinquish.

  • Colorado beat TCU 87-61 on Sunday, February 5, 2026.
  • Colorado lost to Baylor 86-67 on Wednesday, February 7, 2026.
  • Colorado hosts Arizona State on Saturday, February 10, 2026.

The players

Tad Boyle

The head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team.

Bobby Hurley

The head coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball team.

Jalin Holland

A freshman starter for the Colorado Buffaloes.

Isaiah Johnson

A freshman starter for the Colorado Buffaloes.

Josiah Sanders

A freshman starter for the Colorado Buffaloes.

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What they’re saying

“I thought in the first half, our youth really showed in terms of letting our frustrations on offense bleed over into defense and that can't happen, not on the road.”

— Tad Boyle, Head Coach, Colorado Buffaloes (CUBuffs.com)

“They would not think we would use zone when we have never really used it all year. Our guys did a great job of executing it. Their guards were not able to get touches in the paint like they normally do and they were just not in a great rhythm.”

— Bobby Hurley, Head Coach, Arizona State Sun Devils (N/A)

“We really worked on turning our defense into offense. We knew if we did that, we would not have to run around as much. We wanted to get out to a big lead to make it easier.”

— Allen Mukeba (N/A)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Colorado's experimentation with a smaller, younger lineup has yielded mixed results so far, highlighting the risks and potential rewards of such a strategic move. Arizona State's use of a rarely-deployed zone defense to overcome its own depth issues provides an intriguing contrast in coaching approaches as the two teams prepare to face off.