Allen Mukeba’s ferocious dunk launches late push for lead before ASU falls to Colorado

TEMPE — Allen Mukeba threw down a monster poster dunk late, sparking Arizona State’s push to take the lead before falling 95-89 against Colorado in the Big 12 opener on Saturday.

THROW IT DOWN ALLEN MUKEBA ❗️

GOT EVERYONE IN DFA FIRED UP 😤 pic.twitter.com/Z7Fi2YZyn4

— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) January 3, 2026

It was a necessary spark for a team that felt rudderless for much of the game, and ASU proceeded to hold Colorado without a field goal for over five minutes, taking its first lead of the half on a Massamba Diop and-one dunk off a feed from Moe Odum with 4:05 remaining.

The lead came at the end of an 8-for-10 stretch, and ASU made just one of its next four.

The Sun Devils trailed by one with a minute left and needed a stop. They got a block late in the possession, but Mukeba was called for a loose ball foul as it was in the air, his fifth of the contest to disqualify him.

Pig Johnson hit a prayer of a 3 with 22.9 seconds left to make it a two-point game before the Buffaloes knocked down two free throws to seal it.

Mukeba finished with 16 points, six rebounds and two blocks in the effort.

Bobby Hurley says ASU has to fix some core issues, but Allen Mukeba can be a real difference maker if he continues to bring his second-half energy the rest of the way. pic.twitter.com/u53iv0RvtO

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) January 4, 2026

Odum was especially sharp as a playmaker with 12 assists and just two turnovers in addition to his 21 points. He also dove to save a loose ball in transition late that ended up as a Colorado turnover.

Diop had 20 points and seven blocks, much of his scoring set up by Odum.

ASU played without starting forward and leading rebounder Santiago Trouet (leg). Head coach Bobby Hurley doesn’t think it’ll be a long-term issue and suggested Trouet may have played had the game been two days later.

How did Arizona State start slow vs. Colorado?

Offenses were equally sloppy in the face of pressuring defenses early in the game, and Colorado shoveled its way out of stagnancy before ASU could to earn a 10-point advantage after about 12 minutes thanks to a 13-3 run.

The energy continued to work in the Buffaloes’ favor on sequences like one where they got back-to-back offensive boards off back-to-back blocks from Diop.

Colorado also got an offensive rebound off a Diop block about a minute earlier.

ASU had a chance to turn momentum in its favor late in the half as officiating started to get weird, including a lengthy delay over who should shoot a free throw when an injured — or in this case bloody — player is fouled.

That was followed by a flagrant foul by Colorado guard Josiah Sanders when he elbowed ASU’s Noah Meeusen. The Buffaloes then got a soft technical foul on their next possession for a “too small” celebration by guard Barrington Hargress.

The Sun Devils were poised to capitalize with a run going into the break, but two made Colorado baskets in the final 35 seconds kept that from happening as they trailed by 10.

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