DENVER – Old habits die hard.
 
Even though she's more of a perimeter player now and usually makes contributions across the statistics sheet, MSU Denver sophomore Morgan Lewis thinks about one part of the game first.
 
"Every game I go in really focused on rebounding," she said. "That's my biggest thing. And then just wherever I can contribute. Once you get into the flow of the game, you see what's working and what isn't that night."
 
In two games last weekend, Lewis averaged 16.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals. That included a career-high 21 points and a season-high nine rebounds in a win Saturday against Adams State. The night before she had grabbed what was a season-high of eight rebounds in a last-second loss at Fort Lewis.
 
For her contributions, Lewis has been named the Metropolitan State University of Denver Student-Athlete of the Week.
 
"She's just so solid in about everything," MSU Denver coach Tanya Haave said. "She's a kid who played in the post (in high school) and could barely hit a 3, and now she's pretty comfortable catching and shooting it. The rebounding, the defending … she's kind of that glue that holds everything together."
 
As MSU Denver (5-8 overall, 4-3 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) prepares for home games Friday at 5:30 p.m. against Dixie State (9-4, 4-3) and Saturday at 4:30 p.m. against 19^th-ranked (coaches poll) Westminster (11-2, 6-1), Lewis is second on the team in scoring (9.2 points per game), second in rebounds (5.1), second among qualifiers in field goal percentage (43.9), third in blocked shots (0.5), third in steals (1.0) and yes, first (among qualifiers) in 3-point percentage (35.3) while tied for second in made 3s (18).
 
Not bad at all for a player who comes off the bench and is only sixth in minutes played per game (25.2).
 
"I like the boost that she and Jaela (Richardson) both provide off the bench," Haave said. "She has a scoring mentality, an attacking mentality. And it's awesome to see her coming into her own right now."
 
Last season, Lewis was highly productive in her reserve role, averaging 14.6 points and 15.4 rebounds per 40 minutes while playing an average of 8.7 minutes per game. And while she's averaging 14.5 points per 40 this season, she's getting "only" 8.0 rebounds per 40.
 
But she's also spending most of her time as a perimeter player, of course.
 
"If there's one thing I can bring to the table, it's rebounding," Lewis said. "It has been hard to figure out how to continue rebounding, though."
 
Rebounding got her started in her big game against Adams State, as she capitalized with three baskets off offensive rebounds in the first half.
 
"In the first half I had a couple of offensive rebounds that got me going," Lewis said. "I played more inside that game, and obviously I'm more comfortable there. Those easy putbacks are kind of my thing."
 
Lewis also had a career-best three assists against Adams State. The night before, she had a career-high three steals against Fort Lewis.
 
Haave said Lewis' all-around contributions are a tribute to her coachability.
 
"You can tell by her body language and the way she responds, that she is going to try to do what you've told her," Haave said. "And I don't think it's a coincidence that she's accelerating (in her performance level)."
 
The Roadrunners will need contributions across the board from multiple players this weekend in facing two solid opponents.
 
"We're focusing on being consistent," Haave said. "We're still getting some lulls here and there. They aren't as bad as they were earlier in the season, but there have been just enough to cost us sometimes."
 
As for Lewis, she could be focused more on her inside game or her perimeter play. You never know. She'll typically play on the perimeter, but if foul trouble hits the Roadrunners' post players, she could move back inside.
 
"It always depends on the team we're playing and foul trouble," Lewis said. "Hopefully I'll be on the outside, because that means that we aren't in foul trouble."