As the DU men’s basketball team prepares to start its four-game home stand Thursday against Summit League rival Nebraska-Omaha, a few familiar voices fill the locker room. Seniors Marcus Byrd (Highland Ranch, Colo.), Nate Engesser (Colorado Springs, Colo.), and Bryant Rucker (Frisco, Texas) have learned just how vocal they have to be and why it is so important.
The Denver Pioneers are one of the 10 youngest teams in the country – nine freshman and only four sophomores make up the bulk of the 17-man roster. To head coach Joe Scott, a young team means more leadership opportunities and more possibilities to grow and mature both individually and as a team. And for the time being, the leadership needs to lie within the trio of seniors paving the way for the rest of the team, Scott said before the season via Mile High Sports Magazine.
Following a tough loss last week against Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, the Pioneers used everything and everybody they had to ensure a “W” the following game. For the first time since Nov. 30, 2014, the Pioneers finished with five players scoring in double-digits, three seniors and two underclassmen, in a win at Western Illinois. Freshman Joe Rosga (St. Paul, Minn.) and sophomore Duke Douglas (New Orleans, La.) put up double-digits, while C.J. Bobbit (Harker Heights, Texas) closed with eight points, six rebounds and a season-high four assists.
At 10-9, the Pioneers may not be getting the overall outcomes they would hope for, but Scott has seemed pleased and excited when discussing his team’s maturity and strength for the future. Just as Scott had hoped, the seniors are leading the way both on and off the court, while embracing the added pressures and challenges of being senior leaders.
The Denver Pioneers play the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks at Magness Arena Thursday at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed on Pioneer Vision via audio only. For tickets and more information visit www.denverpioneers.com.
