BJ Freeman scored 19 points before being ejected in the second half, and Arizona State beat Colorado 81-61 in Tempe, Ariz., on Saturday. Bashir Jihad scored 17 points, Jayden Quaintance contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds and Amier Ali scored 10 for Arizona State (10-3, 1-1 Big 12 Conference). Trevor Baskin scored a season-high 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Colorado (9-4, 0-2). The Buffaloes were just 3 of 23 from 3-point range and were outscored 39-9 from behind the arc. Freeman was hit with a technical foul with 8:54 left in the game and the Sun Devils leading 65-40. A review showed Freeman hitting Baskin in the groin area and he was ejected. Colorado led 6-5 in the first two minutes before the Sun Devils took control. Alton Mason and Jihad hit 3-pointers and Mason made a jumper to start a 12-0 run that gave Arizona State the lead for good. Harrison Carrington’s 3-pointer got the Buffaloes within 19-11 but the Sun Devils reeled off 13 straight points to make it 32-11 on Jihad’s second 3-pointer of the day. The advantage grew to 40-17 with 2:53 left in the first half and Colorado responded with a surge to end the period. Javon Ruffin made a 3-pointer at the top of the arc, Andrej Jakimovski scored on a layup and Baskin converted a three-point play to make it 40-25 with 1:39 left. RJ Smith completed the 10-0 run with another layup to get Colorado within 13 at intermission. The break benefitted Arizona State, which came out strong to start the second half. Freeman scored the first five points on a jumper and 3-pointer and Mason hit a layup to push the lead to 47-27. Baskin’s tip-in and Jakimovski’s 3-pointer got the Buffaloes back within 18 but the Sun Devils extended the lead to 23 with five straight points but Colorado responded to get within 55-37 with 11:53 left. The Buffaloes went cold and Arizona was able to stretch its lead to as much as 25 and closed it out. –Field Level Media
