BOULDER, Colo. — The Colorado Buffaloes’ struggles in Big 12 play continued Tuesday night as they fell to Arizona State, 70-68, at the CU Events Center. Despite a valiant second-half comeback, the Buffs couldn’t capitalize on multiple late opportunities, extending their losing streak to nine games—their longest since the 2008-09 season.

Colorado (9-11, 0-9 Big 12) found itself trailing early after Arizona State (13-7, 4-5 Big 12) jumped out to an 11-2 lead, fueled by three-point shooting and second-chance opportunities. The Buffs clawed back, tying the game at 43 midway through the second half and briefly taking the lead off free throws following an ASU technical foul. However, costly missed shots and turnovers in the final minutes prevented Colorado from sealing the win.

With 20 seconds left and the Buffs trailing by one, freshman Sebastian Rancik was fouled on a three-point attempt but could only convert two of his three free throws. On the ensuing possession, Rancik had a second chance to put Colorado ahead but his baseline three-pointer rimmed out. Andrej Jakimovski’s desperation heave at the buzzer missed, sealing the Sun Devils’ victory.

Trevor Baskin once again led the Buffs in scoring against Arizona State, finishing with 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting while adding four rebounds and four steals. Julian Hammond III and Bangot Dak each contributed 13 points, with Dak also leading the team in rebounds with six. For Arizona State, Adam Miller paced the Sun Devils with 18 points and six assists, knocking down 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.

Head coach Tad Boyle lamented his team’s inconsistencies, particularly on the defensive end and on the glass.

“Well, I’m not sure I’ve ever felt as bad for a group of guys as I do for this group that was in the locker room because they are trying,” Boyle said postgame. “Now, we’re not playing smart enough, we’re not playing tough enough, we’re not playing consistent enough. And that’s my job. This program has set a standard of defending at a high level and rebounding at a high level, and this team is nowhere near good enough defensively or on the boards to win a game like tonight.”

Arizona State capitalized on Colorado’s first-half struggles, finishing the opening 20 minutes on a scorching 7-for-9 shooting stretch to take a 33-26 lead into the break. Colorado’s defensive lapses allowed the Sun Devils to score 20 of their first-half points off second-chance opportunities and turnovers.

The Buffs tightened things up in the second half, committing just two turnovers and outscoring ASU by five. But their inability to close out defensive possessions and finish key shots down the stretch proved costly.

The Buffs showed resilience in the second half, with Hammond and Rancik scoring 14 of the team’s first 17 points after the break to erase the deficit. Colorado forced turnovers and attacked the rim, leading to their first lead at 47-45 following a pair of technical foul free throws.

Both teams battled down the stretch, trading baskets as the game remained within one or two possessions for the final four minutes. Rancik’s late-game free throw struggles and missed three-pointer ultimately left Colorado just short of its first Big 12 win.

The Buffaloes will look to snap their losing skid when they travel to Fort Worth to face TCU on Sunday at 2 p.m. MT. Boyle’s squad will need to clean up its rebounding and defensive execution if they hope to turn their season around.

Despite their record, Boyle remains adamant that his team will continue fighting.

“We’re not losing our spirit, we’re not going to lose our heart, we’re not going to lose our togetherness,” Boyle said. “But we have to lose the damn turnovers and we have to defend and rebound at a higher level.”

With the season entering its latter stages, Colorado’s path to breaking through in Big 12 play remains daunting. However, with close losses piling up, the Buffs know they’re just a few plays away from turning heartbreak into celebration.