Buffs get routed without their star

PULLM A N, W A S H . » The short-handed Colorado women’s basketball team was routed Sunday and remained winless in conference play.

Playing their second game without injured senior point guard Kennedy Leonard, the Buffaloes were dominated by Washington State, falling 74-48 at Beasley Coliseum.

Leonard, the Buffs’ leading scorer and alltime leader in assists, remains day to day with a sprained foot. She had started 100 consecutive games before Friday’s loss at Washington.

“It was just not a very good basketball game,” CU coach JR Payne said.

Quinessa Caylao-Do scored 18 points to lead CU (10-6, 0-5 Pac-12) on Sunday, but Washington State (7-9, 2-3) controlled the final three quarters and took advantage of Leonard’s absence.

“I thought our effort was fine,” Payne said. “Quinessa’s effort is almost superhuman right now. She is playing a lot of different positions, scoring the ball, working the glass and defending their best player. We are in a situation now where everyone has to give that superhuman effort.”

Caylao-Do helped the Buffs take a 13-12 lead after the first quarter, but Washington State opened the second quarter with an 11-0 run and never looked back. The Cougars pulled away by outscoring the Buffs 46-27 in the second half.

Borislava Hristova had a game-high 23 points for the Cougars, who made 52.8 percent of their shots and out-rebounded the Buffs 38-27.

CU made just 34.5 percent of its shots, including 12.5 percent (2-for-16) from 3-point range.

Mya Hollingshed had 14 points for the Buffaloes, while adding five rebounds.

Freshman Lesila Finau got her first career start in Leonard’s place, finishing scoreless with one assist in 27 minutes. Peyton Carter, who started for Leonard on Friday, came off the bench and scored six points.