• Video: Highlights from Creighton's 65-52 win over Indiana State on Tuesday:



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Creighton coach Dana Altman would have liked his team to have taken greater advantage Tuesday of the edge in numbers the Bluejays had on Indiana State.

But Altman sensed the Bluejays were dragging a bit, which prevented Creighton from perhaps trying to run and press more in its 65-52 victory against a Sycamore team that suited up just eight players.

“We need a day off,” Altman said. “We practiced pretty hard getting ready for a couple of games last week, and I thought we were lacking a little bounce.”

That and a lack of work on its pressing defenses kept the Bluejays from trying to unleash full-court pressure on the Sycamores.

“We haven't put enough time in it,” Altman said.

Creighton probably would have taken Sunday off but its performance in Saturday's 70-52 loss at Missouri State changed the schedule.

“We practiced Sunday because I was mad at them for Saturday,” Altman said. “We haven't had a day off since a week ago Sunday, and that's probably a little too long.”

Altman plans to give the players today off, and then resume practicing Thursday for Saturday's game against Illinois State.

Big assist total

Creighton's 21 assists marked the fourth time this season that the Bluejays have recorded 20 or more in a game. Their season high of 28 came in a Dec. 22 win against Houston Baptist, and they also had 22 against Florida A&M and 20 against Bradley.

“We trusted each other, we trusted the offense and we made plays for each other,” Creighton center Kenny Lawson said. “If we can go out and be unselfish, a lot of shots are going to fall like they did tonight.

“I don't think we're a selfish team but there are nights where we might not recognize that there is a better shot. It's more of a focus thing than a selfish thing. We need to recognize who's open or who has the hot hand.”

Creighton had an assists on all 11 of its first-half baskets and on 10 of its 14 field goals in the second half.

McKenna unhappy

Getting outplayed, especially with an undermanned squad, is something Indiana State coach Kevin McKenna could accept.

But he found it difficult to stomach getting outhustled on rebounds and loose balls. He said Creighton guard Cavel Witter lost the ball once in the lane and still was able to dribble “seven or eight times” before regaining control.

“We had three guys watching,” McKenna said. “The other night, we would have had three guys diving on the ball, but we just didn't have that fire tonight. We didn't have that toughness that it takes to win on the road.

“That, combined with we didn't shoot it as well as we did the other night and that we didn't make our free throws, led to our loss.”

Indiana State shot 37.2 percent from the field and missed 8 of 23 free throws in shooting 65.2 percent from the line. The Sycamores came into the game ranked fourth nationally in free-throw percentage at .772.

Bits and pieces

Lawson missed his third free-throw attempt of the game to snap his consecutive string of makes at 19. Had he made it, he would have become the first Bluejay 6-foot-9 or taller to make 20 in a row. ... Suspended guard P'Allen Stinnett was on the bench, as he was for last week's home game against Evansville. ... Creighton ran its home winning streak against Indiana State to 11. The Sycamores, who beat Creighton in Terre Haute Jan. 1, haven't swept a regular-season series from CU since the 1992-93 season. ... Ethan Wragge made 3 of 6 shots from 3-point range. The 6-7 forward now has made at least one 3-pointer in 12 straight games to tie Rodney Buford's freshman school record. ... Creighton's 38-31 rebounding advantage marked the seventh time in 14 league games that the Bluejays have outrebounded their opponent.

— Steve Pivovar

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• Video: Creighton coach Dana Altman speaks after the Jays' win over Indiana State on Tuesday: