In one of the most spectacular debuts in Colorado basketball history, true freshman Isaiah Johnson scored 24 second-half points in his first game for the Buffs in CU’s 84-78 win over Montana State on Monday (November 3) at the CU Event Center.
It is the second-best debut in Buff men’s basketball history behind a 31-point effort by Emmett Lewis on November 29, 1975, when Colorado dropped a 78-75 decision to nationally-ranked New Mexico at Balch Fieldhouse in Boulder.
- Johnson ( 6-9 field goals, 10-12 free throws) scored all 24 points in the second half, the most in one half by a Colorado freshman.
- The 24 points are the 14th-best overall by a CU freshman.
- The 24 points in one half ties for the 12th-best mark by a Buff, regardless of class.
Here is a list of freshman Buff debuts (player
- Emmett Lewis – 31 points vs. New Mexico, November 29, 1975
- Isaiah Johnson – 24 points vs. Montana State, November 3, 2025
- Donnie Boyce – 21 points vs. Towson State, November 25, 1991
- Randy Downs – 19 points vs. Oregon Tech, November 16, 1982 (8 rebounds)
- Richard Roby – 19 points vs. College of Charleston, November 15, 2004 (8 rebounds)
- Matt Bullard – 15 points vs. Fort Lewis, November 23, 1985
- Chauncey Billups – 14 points at UC Santa Barbara, November 24, 1995 (8 rebounds, 5 assists)
- David Harrison – 14 points vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, November 17, 2001
- Josh Scott – 14 points vs. Wofford, November 9, 2012
- Austin Dufault – 13 points vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, November 14, 2008
- Alec Burks – 13 points vs. Arkansas Pine Bluff, November 13, 2009
- Cory Higgins – 10 points vs. New Mexico, November 9, 2007
- McKinley Wright IV – 10 points vs. Northern Colorado, November 10, 2017
- Larry Vacuilik – 9 points at California, November 30, 1974
- Toney Ellis – 9 points at New Mexico, November 27, 1976
- Askia Booker – 9 points vs. Fort Lewis, November 11, 2011
- Evan Battey – 8 points vs. Drake, November 13, 2018
- Spencer Dinwiddie – 7 points vs. Fort Lewis, November 11, 2011
- Andre Roberson – 6 points vs. Idaho State, November 12, 2019 (11 rebounds)
- Xavier Johnson – 5 points vs. Wofford, November 9, 2012
- Xavier Silas 4 points vs. Denver, November 10, 2006
- Cody Williams – 4 points vs. Towson, November 6, 2023
- Stephane Pelle – 1 point vs. Saint Mary’s, November 19, 1999 (8 rebounds)
