Colorado Falls To No. 2 Arizona

Isaiah Johnson sets career-high, but Buffs come up short against Wildcats

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Despite a career-high 28 points from freshman Isaiah Johnson, the Colorado Buffaloes fell 89-79 to the 2nd-ranked Arizona Wildcats on Saturday night. Johnson set a new single-season scoring record for Colorado freshmen, but the Wildcats' balanced attack and dominance in the paint proved too much for the Buffs.

Why it matters

This loss drops Colorado to 17-14 overall and 7-11 in Big 12 play, finishing 11th in the conference. Meanwhile, Arizona ends the regular season 29-2 and 16-2 in the Big 12, claiming the regular season title. The Buffs will now head to the Big 12 Tournament as the 11th seed, facing 14th-seeded Oklahoma State in the opening round.

The details

Colorado built an 11-point lead early, but Arizona chipped away and took a two-point lead at halftime. In the second half, the Wildcats shot 70.4% and pulled away, controlling the paint with 54 points inside compared to just 26 for the Buffs. Arizona freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat combined for 56 points to lead the Wildcats' offense.

  • Colorado finished the regular season on March 8, 2026.
  • The Buffs will face Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday, March 11, 2026 at 7:30pm MT.

The players

Isaiah Johnson

A freshman guard for Colorado who set a new single-season scoring record for Buffs freshmen with 526 points, surpassing the previous mark of 512 set by Alec Burks in 2009-10.

Barrington Hargress

A Colorado guard who scored 13 points with 2 blocks and 2 steals in the loss.

Brayden Burries

An Arizona freshman who led all scorers with 31 points.

Koa Peat

An Arizona freshman who scored 25 points to complement Burries' big night.

Tad Boyle

The head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes.

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What they’re saying

“It definitely means a lot. That's not easy to come by, being able to break that record. I'm just thankful that my coaches and my teammates have been able to put me in that position.”

— Isaiah Johnson (cubuffs.com)

“We had to protect and defend the paint, and we didn't do that. They scored 54 points in the paint, and that was the reason they won the game, and we didn't. That's really what it comes down to. It was our inability to do that.”

— Tad Boyle, Head Coach (cubuffs.com)

“The thing I like about Elijah is he gives you everything he's got. He's pretty self-aware as a player, and he's a team-first guy. He's helped guys this season, even though he hasn't had the year he wanted. I'm really proud of Elijah Malone, the way he's handled himself this year.”

— Tad Boyle, Head Coach (cubuffs.com)

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

This game highlighted Colorado's struggles to contain Arizona's size and scoring balance, especially in the paint. While Isaiah Johnson's record-breaking performance was a bright spot, the Buffs' inability to defend the interior proved costly against the talented Wildcats. Colorado will now look to regroup and make a run in the Big 12 Tournament as the 11th seed.