UConn coach Dan Hurley took a step back in practice this week.

He demanded that his Huskies bring more energy, something that they didn't do in Monday's upset loss to St. John's, instead of drawing it from him.

"St. John's, their huddles were more lively and the look in their players' eyes was more fierce and more determined," Hurley said during a Zoom conversation from Omaha, Neb., where UConn will play Creighton at noon on Saturday at the CHI Health Center. "We were very disconnected. Our huddles were not producing real communication and conversation and energy to go and get that game."

Hurley added that there are too many quiet guys. That's got to end if the Huskies want to have a successful season.

"I feel like they lean too much on me to create the energy," Hurley said. "We need more of a player-driven team than a coach-driven team. ... The main guys that need to run this team and to lead this team are R.J. (Cole) and Isaiah (Whaley)."

No. 23 UConn (7-2, 4-2) will face their toughest challenge of the season on Saturday as it tries to take down No. 11 Creighton (10-4, 6-3) playing without their best player, James Bouknight.

Bouknight, whose elbow injury will force him to miss his fourth straight game, poured in a career-high 40 points in the last meeting against Creighton on Dec. 20 in Storrs. UConn would have won if it had not missed two free throws late in regulation. Instead, Damien Jefferson tied the game with 0.2 seconds left and Creighton prevailed in overtime, 76-74.

"Losing Bouknight's talent hurts, because he's one of the best players in the country," Hurley said. "But we also miss his personality. He was the Alpa, the confident guy. He infused confidence into the group, so somebody else has got to infuse that and it can't be a coach because we're not allowed on the court."

It doesn't help UConn's cause that Creighton is looking to rebound from two straight defeats by a combined eight points. The Bluejays welcomed back star guard Marcus Zegarowski, who had been out with a hamstring injury, in Wednesday's loss to Providence.

UConn is looking to regain its defensive edge that it lost in Monday's 74-70 defeat at the hands of St. John's, which shot 49 percent from the field. The Huskies were badly beaten off the dribble and also missed some crucial free throws down the stretch.

It won't be easy to contain Creighton as UConn found out in the first meeting. The Bluejays had all five starters score in double figures. Senior Denzel Mahoney (15.1) and Zegarowski (14.3) are the team's top scorers overall.

UConn's R.J. Cole held Zegarowski to just 11 points on 4-for-14 shooting on Dec. 20.

"He's got a big matchup (Saturday)," Hurley said.

The Huskies have won five straight on the road dating back to last season, including capturing their first three this season. They're off to the best road start since 2008-09 when they started out with nine straight victories.

Up until beating both East Carolina and Tulane late last season, the Huskies were an ugly 2-15 on the road during coach Dan Hurley's tenure in Storrs.

"Don't really have an explanation," Hurley said of his team's recent road success. "Maybe it's the excitement of traveling because we've been so stuck pretty much in the places that we live and the practice facility that maybe it improves the energy to get out. We easily could have lost the neutral side (game) or any of the road games that we've played. And we easily could have won all of our home games."

Hurley gave an update on the status of Bouknight and freshman Andre Jackson (broken bone in his left wrist).

Jackson is a lot closer to returning than Bouknight.

"He's got another important appointment next week," Hurley said. "If he's pain-free next week, you could then be seeing him at any point. James, it could be anywhere from four to six weeks. It really just depends on how quickly he gets out there."

g.keefe@theday.com

No. 23 UConn at No. 11 Creighton

Location: CHI Health Center, Omaha, Neb.

Tip-off: Noon (Ch. 61)

Records: UConn 7-2, 4-2, Creighton 10-4, 6-3

Last game: UConn lost to St. John's, 74-70, Monday; Creighton lost to Providence, 74-70, Wednesday

Probable starters: UConn, 6-1 r-jr. guard R.J. Cole (10.6 pts, 3.9 assists), 6-4 jr. guard Brendan Adams (5.7 pts), 6-6 jr. guard Tyrese Martin (11 pts, 7.6 rebs), 6-9 sr. forward Isaiah Whaley (9.1 pts, 6.4 rebs, 2.3 blks), 6-9 fr. forward Adama Sanogo (4.9 pts, 3.3 rebs)

Creighton, 6-2 jr. guard Marcus Zegarowski (14.3 pts, 4.7 assists), 6-5 sr. guard Mitch Ballock (9.1 pts), 6-5 sr. guard Denzel Mahoney (15.1 pts, 4.6 rebs), 6-7 jr. forward Christian Bishop (11.5 pts, 5.4 rebs), 6-5 sr. forward Damien Jefferson (13 pts, 4.9 rebs)

Noteworthy: UConn owns a better road (3-0) than at home (3-2). Program's best start on the road since 2008-09 season. ... Creighton lost two straight by a combined eight points. ... Series: UConn trails, 1-0, losing  76-74 (OT), on Dec. 20 in Storrs. James Bouknight had 40 points. Bluejays had five players score in double figures, led by Christian Bishop's 19. ... First visit to Creighton which is 29-3 in its past 32 home games. ... Zegarowski returned to action vs. PC after sitting out two games with hamstring injury. ... Top reserve: 7-0 fr. center Ryan Kalkbrenner (6.9 pts, 43 rebs). ... Huskies 2-6 vs. ranked foes since the start of last season. ...  ...  Injury news: Bouknight (elbow), Andre Jackson (hand) both out. ... Hot: Martin averaged 16 pts, 5 rebounds, 5.5 steals in the last two games. Cold: UConn shooting 59 percent (28-for-47) from the foul line in last two games. ... UConn's two losses by a combined six points. ... In three starts since Bouknight's injury, Adams averaging 6.7 pts, 2.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists while going 4-for-15 from the field, 10-for-13 from foul line. ... In the Big East overall, Creighton first in FG percentage (49.0) and FG percentage defense (39.9). UConn first in blocks per game (4.9). ... Former Husky Donny Marshall is part of the Fox broadcasting team. ... Up next: UConn hosts Butler Tuesday (8:30 p.m.) in Storrs.

— Gavin Keefe