Arizona State @ Colorado preview

Arizona State at Colorado

Last Meeting ( Jan 5, 2019 ) Colorado 61, Arizona State 83

With three straight victories, Colorado suddenly is the hottest team in the Pac-12 Conference. The Buffaloes will try to build on that momentum Wednesday night when they host Arizona State.

Even with its win streak, though, the Buffaloes haven’t gained much ground in the Pac-12 standings as they’re currently part of a four-way tie for seventh place at 5-6. Only Washington State (3-8) and hapless California (0-11) are worse. The Sun Devils, meanwhile, have won five of their last seven contests and are tied with Utah and Oregon State for second place at 7-4. That’s still a full three games in back of Washington, but Arizona State is fresh off handing the Huskies their first conference setback, winning 75-63 at home Saturday night.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

ABOUT ARIZONA STATE (16-7, 7-4 Pac-12): Two days have struggling through one of their worst shooting games of the season (33.8-percent in a 91-70 home loss to Washington State), the Sun Devils shot a season-best 61.7 percent in beating Washington. Forward Romello White had 17 points to lead four Arizona State players in double figures and also was one of three Sun Devils to collect at least eight rebounds as ASU dominated the Huskies 40-23 on the boards. Led by guards Luguentz Dort (16.2 points per game) and Remy Martin (13.1), five players are averaging double figures for Arizona State, which leads the conference in overall scoring (78.9) and average rebound margin (7.1).

ABOUT COLORADO (14-9, 5-6): The Buffs have dominated defensively during their current three-game win streak, holding Oregon, UCLA and USC to a combined 39.6 shooting, including 17-of-70 from 3-point range. Overall, Colorado is third in the conference in allowing 68.8 points and is limiting the opposition to 30.5-percent shooting from 3-point range. Offensively, point guard McKinley Wright leads the team with 13 points and five assists per contest after scoring a team-high 20 in Saturday night’s 69-65 win at USC while backcourt mates Tyler Bey (12.0 points) and Shane Gatling (10.3) and forward Lucas Siewert (11.3) also are averaging double digits.

TIP-INS

1. Despite Arizona State's 83-61 home romp Jan. 5, Colorado has won five of the last nine meetings with ASU. CU also has won seven of eight all-time in Boulder with the Sun Devils’ lone road win coming in 2013.

2. Arizona State’s 61.7-percent shooting outing versus Washington marked its first 60-pecent showing in a Pac-12 game since 2013.

3. The Sun Devils’ Zylan Cheatham leads the Pac-12 and ranks eighth nationally with his average of 11 rebounds per game while Bey ranks is third in the conference with 8.9 boards.

PREDICTION: Arizona State 74, Colorado 71