DENVER – MSU Denver does have a young men's basketball team.
 
But inexperienced? Not completely.
 
Through four games, the Roadrunners' leading scorer is 6-foot-4 junior Druce Asah (Tracy, Calif./Tracy). And while Asah is new to MSU Denver, he isn't new to the college game – having already played two seasons for NCAA Division II Cal State East Bay after redshirting there his first season.
 
"He's a veteran kid," Metropolitan State University of Denver coach Michael Bahl said. "And it was just a perfect match for him to come here."
 
Despite averaging 10.3 points per game as a freshman and 12.4 as a sophomore while earning honorable mention All-California Collegiate Athletic Association, Asah was looking for a different fit in the offseason.
 
Both coaches who had recruited him to Cal State East Bay had departed, and he reconnected with former MSU Denver assistant Lucas Gabriel, who had recruited him when Gabriel was at Cal State Chico.
 
Before long, the Roadrunners had a sharpshooting guard who had 637 career points.
 
"This was my only visit, and I liked it," Asah said. "Coach Gabriel told me that this was a good fit for me and that I would have a chance to play in a winning environment."
 
Even though Gabriel took a different job before Asah actually got to campus, he's still comfortable in downtown Denver.
 
"Stuff happens, it's just how you react to it," Asah said. "I'm very comfortable here."
 
Asah brings more than just his on-court experience to the program. Since he sat out his first season, he also has plenty of off-court experience that he can share with six players who are potential redshirts.
 
"I know what it's like to be on the scout team," he said. "I know what it's like to get in the extra work, knowing that you're not going to play. I've told them it's the best thing for you – if coach wants you redshirting, that's a good chance for growth in your game. So I talk to those guys a lot, about staying locked in: there are times coach won't be paying attention to you, just because he has to be focused on the guys who are playing, but I try to give those guys advice any time I can."
 
As it was for Asah at Cal State East Bay, the MSU Denver program this season has a backlog of quality players and it's in the best interest of the freshmen to wait, watch and develop.
 
"There were a lot of older guys in front of me who could go," Asah said. "And the coach was real with me. You have to take the positive out of it. It was the best thing I could've done. I gained some weight, and I was more comfortable when it was time to play. I'd had a lot of older guys who were helping me along the way."
 
No one is helping Asah with his jump shot, even though it does look a bit unusual. Typically, players are instructed to shoot with their legs about shoulder width apart, but Asah's legs form a more obtuse angle.
 
"I get questions about it all the time," Asah said. "But I used to shoot with my feet real close together. I didn't really have balance that way. My high school coach suggested to spread my base a little. I feel like I have more balance shooting. I can't really get knocked off."
 
Like his jump shot, he has a name that you don't see every day either.
 
Asah's parents are from Cameroon, where his last name is a bit more common. As for his first name? Well, his father and all three of his siblings also have first names that start with the letter 'D,' so that's one theory.
 
"It starts with a 'D' so I guess my dad just liked it," said Asah, laughing. "Most people, at first, think I'm saying, 'Juice.' And I have to say, 'No, Druce.' And they kind of get disappointed that it's not 'Juice.'"
 
If you say his name backwards (Asah, Druce) it sounds a lot like "Suh Dude," the vine which has produced what has become a kind of slang greeting for "What's up, dude?"
 
Asah knows nothing of this vine. But he does know how to tickle the twine.
 
Asah hit 37.3 percent of his 3-pointers (104 of 279) in two seasons at Cal State East Bay and was right there again this season at 38.1 percent (8 of 21) before an uncharacteristic 0 for 5 in Friday's loss at Chadron State.
 
So, even though his shot might look a little different, Bahl isn't interested in fixing what isn't broken.
 
"He's a big-time shooter," said Bahl, who was a big-time shooter himself as a national leader in 3-point percentage in his playing days at MSU Denver. "He's working on the other parts of his game in terms of being a more complete player, but his ability to shoot is where he hangs his hat.
 
"He spends a tremendous amount of time in the gym. And there's 1,000 ways to shoot it (and be successful)."
 
Asah said he takes an extra 200 to 300 shots nearly every day to keep his stroke well-tuned. But he's developing his overall offensive game as well.
 
"I'm looking for my jump shot, but if they're taking it away I'm looking to go straight-line (drive) to the basket," Asah said. "Coach Bahl has been helping me a lot with that. Catch-and-shoot, or take it to the rack if they close out on me."
 
The Roadrunners, looking to conquer their growing pains, are 1-3 overall and lost their Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener last Saturday, and they now face another difficult weekend with 7 p.m. games Friday at Regis and Saturday at Colorado Christian. Regis, the preseason conference favorite, is 4-2 overall and 1-0 in the RMAC. Preseason conference player of the year Jarrett Brodbeck leads the Rangers with 18.0 points per game.
 
"I'm new to the league, but everyone has told me that Regis is a good team," Asah said. "A lot of good shooters, a lot of good guards who can go. But we have good shooters and guards who can go, too. People aren't expecting us to win, especially going into their home floor. But we want to go in there and beat them. We're not shying away from anything."
 
Colorado Christian, the preseason pick to finish last in the league, is only 2-5 and 0-1, but the Cougars have a strong home-court advantage.
 
"Every game is big," Bahl said. "The game on Friday night is the most important game of our season, and when that's over, the one on Saturday is. We're not talking about winning and losing, we're talking about how can we get better every day?
 
 "We know we're going to be a good team. It's just a matter of time."