INDIANAPOLIS — Jordan Dingle was aware of the expectations and he isn’t hiding from them.

This season at St. John’s has not gone according to plan for him.

“I know that I’ve probably disappointed a lot of people in my performance up to date,” the graduate senior who was second in the country in scoring a season ago said. “I really didn’t want to let anybody down. I do feel terribly about it. But doubting myself, it really just wouldn’t make sense. I’ve played for a long time against so many different levels of players, guys who are in the NBA now, and I’ve proven that I can do it.”

At least lately, the Penn transfer is slowly changing the narrative.

He’s coming off a big week, the kind of week that was expected out of him.

In a pair of wins over Georgetown and No. 13 Creighton, he averaged 20 points and made 16 of 26 shots from the field, providing the needed scoring out of the shooting guard spot that has been lacking for the Johnnies.

Dingle credited the encouragement from teammates and coaches for his breakout, in particular words from associate head coach Steve Masiello that stayed with him.

“I hope he doesn’t get mad at me for saying this. Coach Masiello said something along the lines of sharks don’t climb trees and squirrels don’t swim,” Dingle, averaging a career-low 11.1 points and shooting 29.6 from 3-point range, recalled with a laugh. “Do what you do. Be a shark, go swim. Be a squirrel, climb a tree. Don’t try to do things outside of yourself. That’s just what I’ve been telling myself. Instead of trying to be out there making a whole bunch of home run plays, do the simple things that I know how to do well. It’s been a good mantra to say to myself.”

In other words, play your game.

Stop overthinking. Stop worrying about making mistakes.

Do what you do.

It seems to have worked. Dingle, a 6-foot-3 guard from Valley Stream, N.Y., came up big in the Creighton win after scoring a season-high 22 points at Georgetown.

He had the game’s two biggest baskets, a pair of jumpers that ignited a game-sealing 15-4 run late in the second half.

The second half had been trouble for St. John’s (16-12, 8-9).

It had blown several leads after halftime, dropping winnable games to the likes of No. 5 Marquette, Providence and Seton Hall during a stretch that saw them lose eight of 10 games.

Not on Sunday.

Coach Rick Pitino implored his players to attack with a lead and ignore the scoreboard. Play to win rather than not to lose.

“I think there was a big fear of not wanting to make a mistake. Obviously, a lot of us are new to St. John’s and the majority are new to Coach Pitino,” Dingle said. “Part of the reason why [Daniss Jenkins] is a great leader for us is that he has never really let [making a mistake] affect him and he’s having an amazing season as a result of it. But all the great players say you have to have great short-term memory. If you miss your last seven shots, you have to think the next one is absolutely going in.

“You can’t be worried about the mistake you just made.”

The victory has given St. John’s NCAA Tournament life, although it has no margin for error.

It has to win its final three regular-season games, starting with Wednesday’s trip to Butler, and then do damage in the Big East Tournament.

But last week has given the Johnnies and their fans reason to believe that maybe this season can swing back in the other direction after that extended poor stretch.

There is still time left for this team to reach its goals.

Dingle finding his game sure would help in that pursuit.