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Salt Lake City, Utah
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Tim Benko, Benko Photographics
Caylao-Do's Development Big for Buffs
January 16, 2019 | Women's Basketball
The CU junior is in the midst of a breakout season
SALT LAKE CITY—Colorado women's basketball head coach JR Payne called it "super-human," when describing junior guard Quinessa Caylao-Do's effort over the past weeks.Â
For those close to the program, it is no surprise that Caylao-Do is contributing the way she has this season. She is an everlasting presence at the CU Events Center, always working to better her game.Â
Caylao-Do suffered a hand injury early in her sophomore season, forcing her to miss seven games last year. She finished with a respectable 6.3 points and 1.4 assists per game.Â
"When you are a guard and handling the ball a lot, it is hard to come back midseason," Payne explained.Â
Defense has always been a large part her presence on the court. Touted as one of the Buffaloes top defenders, Caylao-Do totaled 42 steals in her first two seasons. This season she has a career-high 23 steals in 16 games. Offensively, Caylao-Do scored a career-high 23 points in CU's opener against Northern Colorado, setting the tone for what has been a breakout season.
"In Q's first few years, her biggest strength was defense," Payne added. "She was our best player on defense, pressuring the ball. Q has worked extremely hard between last offseason and this season to really develop her offensive game. She could always penetrate some but really wasn't a consistent 3-point shooter. Now, she's developed that part of her game which is really a testament to how hard she has worked."
Whether it is before practice or on a game day, Caylao-Do is out on the court working. She is the first on the court and will continue individual work when everyone has left the court. The conscious effort to grow her offensive skill set has paid dividends.Â
Caylao-Do is second on the team in scoring this season, averaging a career-best 11.3 points per game.Â
"I think Quinessa wanted a more expanded role," Payne continued. "She wanted to be able to score the ball consistently and to be called on to score. She has worked hard enough to earn that.Â
"We only have four upperclassmen this year. She is one of those four and I think she knew it was important for this team to have her in that role. I think she saw that as an important opportunity and something that this team needed."
Colorado played its first two games without point guard Kennedy Leonard this past weekend. Caylao-Do, a Tacoma, Wash., native, enjoyed a turn in the spotlight. She scored 13 points in front of more than 40 friends and family members against the Huskies. She led the Buffs with 18 points to close the trip at Washington State.Â
"She has been tremendous," Payne noted. "She has been one of our most consistent players all year. She is someone we are confident playing in any position on the court. She is too small to throw inside, but we even run post-up isolations for her because she is so tough."
There is zero doubt that Caylao-Do will continue to be a key ingredient for the Buffs. She has scored in double figures in each of the last four games and four of the last five to open conference play.Â
Colorado continues on the road this week with just one game against Utah. The Buffs will look put an end to its current five-game slump on Friday (7 p.m. MT). Â
Friday's game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network. Fans can listen to the Buffs all season long on AM 630 (KHOW).
The Series: The Utes evened the all-time series (17-17) with their 76-61 win in Boulder earlier this season. Utes got 13 points and 13 rebounds from Megan Huff in the win. Alexis Robinson was one of four Buffs in double figures, leading the way with 14 points. Colorado is 4-10 all-time on the road against Utah. CU's visit to Salt Lake City last season resulted in a 16-point 69-65 comeback-win. Leonard tied a career-high with 31 points. Â Â
Low of 48: Colorado scored a season-low 48 points in its loss at Washington State. It was the first time CU had been held below 50 points since scoring 47 against Arizona State (12/29/17).
Take Away: CU ranks second in the conference with 9.6 steals per game. Leonard leads the Pac-12 with 3.1 steals per game (23rnd NCAA). CU had a season-high 19 steals against Samford. It was tied for the fifth-most in program history. It was the most since CU's 19 at Mississippi Valley State in 2016.Â
Close Comeback(s): CU trailed by 14 late in the second quarter against Arizona and trailed by 11 midway through the fourth quarter against Arizona State. The Buffs used a 19-4 run to take a third-quarter lead against Arizona. CU outscored Arizona, 26-14, in the third to claim a 57-54 lead. Colorado used an 11-2 run, including six points in 17 seconds to get within two points (68-66) in the final minute against ASU.Â
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For those close to the program, it is no surprise that Caylao-Do is contributing the way she has this season. She is an everlasting presence at the CU Events Center, always working to better her game.Â
Caylao-Do suffered a hand injury early in her sophomore season, forcing her to miss seven games last year. She finished with a respectable 6.3 points and 1.4 assists per game.Â
"When you are a guard and handling the ball a lot, it is hard to come back midseason," Payne explained.Â
Defense has always been a large part her presence on the court. Touted as one of the Buffaloes top defenders, Caylao-Do totaled 42 steals in her first two seasons. This season she has a career-high 23 steals in 16 games. Offensively, Caylao-Do scored a career-high 23 points in CU's opener against Northern Colorado, setting the tone for what has been a breakout season.
"In Q's first few years, her biggest strength was defense," Payne added. "She was our best player on defense, pressuring the ball. Q has worked extremely hard between last offseason and this season to really develop her offensive game. She could always penetrate some but really wasn't a consistent 3-point shooter. Now, she's developed that part of her game which is really a testament to how hard she has worked."
Whether it is before practice or on a game day, Caylao-Do is out on the court working. She is the first on the court and will continue individual work when everyone has left the court. The conscious effort to grow her offensive skill set has paid dividends.Â
Caylao-Do is second on the team in scoring this season, averaging a career-best 11.3 points per game.Â
"I think Quinessa wanted a more expanded role," Payne continued. "She wanted to be able to score the ball consistently and to be called on to score. She has worked hard enough to earn that.Â
"We only have four upperclassmen this year. She is one of those four and I think she knew it was important for this team to have her in that role. I think she saw that as an important opportunity and something that this team needed."
Colorado played its first two games without point guard Kennedy Leonard this past weekend. Caylao-Do, a Tacoma, Wash., native, enjoyed a turn in the spotlight. She scored 13 points in front of more than 40 friends and family members against the Huskies. She led the Buffs with 18 points to close the trip at Washington State.Â
"She has been tremendous," Payne noted. "She has been one of our most consistent players all year. She is someone we are confident playing in any position on the court. She is too small to throw inside, but we even run post-up isolations for her because she is so tough."
There is zero doubt that Caylao-Do will continue to be a key ingredient for the Buffs. She has scored in double figures in each of the last four games and four of the last five to open conference play.Â
Colorado continues on the road this week with just one game against Utah. The Buffs will look put an end to its current five-game slump on Friday (7 p.m. MT). Â
Friday's game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network. Fans can listen to the Buffs all season long on AM 630 (KHOW).
The Series: The Utes evened the all-time series (17-17) with their 76-61 win in Boulder earlier this season. Utes got 13 points and 13 rebounds from Megan Huff in the win. Alexis Robinson was one of four Buffs in double figures, leading the way with 14 points. Colorado is 4-10 all-time on the road against Utah. CU's visit to Salt Lake City last season resulted in a 16-point 69-65 comeback-win. Leonard tied a career-high with 31 points. Â Â
Low of 48: Colorado scored a season-low 48 points in its loss at Washington State. It was the first time CU had been held below 50 points since scoring 47 against Arizona State (12/29/17).
Take Away: CU ranks second in the conference with 9.6 steals per game. Leonard leads the Pac-12 with 3.1 steals per game (23rnd NCAA). CU had a season-high 19 steals against Samford. It was tied for the fifth-most in program history. It was the most since CU's 19 at Mississippi Valley State in 2016.Â
Close Comeback(s): CU trailed by 14 late in the second quarter against Arizona and trailed by 11 midway through the fourth quarter against Arizona State. The Buffs used a 19-4 run to take a third-quarter lead against Arizona. CU outscored Arizona, 26-14, in the third to claim a 57-54 lead. Colorado used an 11-2 run, including six points in 17 seconds to get within two points (68-66) in the final minute against ASU.Â
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