Was Orlando was playing better at less-than-full strength? ...

They've turned off the goal spigot in Ottawa...

Is this the new Ken Dryden in goal for Les Habitants? ...

Payback angle on the table tonight for Cavs...

It seems strange to not have to look hard for reasons to go with SJSU. But Into tonight vs. Wyo, the Spartans are rested, having been off since last Saturday at Nevada, which was another spread cover...the 14th in the last 15 for SJSU. Tim Miles continues to push the right buttons and has a real go-to threat in Utah State transfer G Josh Uduje (16.3 ppg), who recently had a five-game stretch of 20+-points thru December. The Cowboys are off of a surprise win at UNLV but the offense has few dimensions, scoring just 58 pg across the last four as Sundance Wicks runs into real trouble if lone DD scorer G Obi Aggim (18.8 ppg) has an off night. Play San Jose State

We've had our eyes peeled for SLU to catch fire and the Billikens finally look to be on the sort of upswing we envisioned. SLU has won six of seven as Josh Schertz has seemingly put the pieces together. His prized transfer from Indiana State along with him, be-goggled C Robbie Avila, has tapped a rich vein of form with 21+ points in each of his last two games. Another ex-ISU Sycamore, G Isaiah Swope, is registering at 17.1 ppg, but it's also been defense, holding foes to just 62 ppg across those past seven outings. Meanwhile, GWU has started to slip with the straight losses, as the Revolutionaries haven't shot as well as 40% from the floor across those defeats. Play Saint Louis

Wondering a bit why "total" is so high in D.C. as neither of these sides have been involved in many games hitting 149 in recent weeks. Especially the Billikens, who have started to surge behind improving defensive efforts that have held foes to 62 ppg across the past seven outings. SLU has now landed under in eight straight, 11 of 12, and 14 of their last 16; in only one of their last eight games has the scoreline exceeded 148, and that one stayed under at Fordham. As for cold GW, note that it hasn't shot as well as 40% from the floor in its current three-game skid, and only one of its last nine D-I games has landed above 149. Play SLU-GWU Under

There's one often-overlooked characteristic helping Creighton's recent surge. The Bluejays don't foul much, in fact leading the nation in fewest fouls pg (10.5), by a considerable margin. Foes thus aren't getting to the FT line very often, indeed only 9 times pg across the past four, all Creighton wins. Another plus for Greg McDermott is this lack of foul trouble is keeping him from exposing a bench that got much thinner after the injury to G Pop Isaacs in early December. Meanwhile, the Hall has been taking its lumps lately, bowing by 28 (St John's) and 17 (Marquette) the past two games, failing to reach 60 points in either. The Pirates also only hit 5 of 27 triples across those losses. Play Creighton

We've been keeping an eye on Tobin Anderson's Iona, which has always hinted a bit of upside this season. Now, the Gaels might finally be on the way with impressive back-to-back wins as different players step into the spotlight. In the recent cruise past Canisius, it was G Dejour Reeves scoring 25; in the Thursday win at Rider, emerging frosh G Adam Njie scored a season-best 23. Meanwhile, Siena continues its back-and-forth pattern in the Metro-Atlantic, though first-year HC Gerry McNamara gets very little production from his bench, and the Saints are not especially explosive with their subpar 42.8% FG accuracy. Play Iona

Here is where Purdue could maybe have used 7-4 Zach Edey sticking around for just one more season in West Lafayette. Michigan hits Mackey Arena tonight with a pair of 7-footers in ex-FAU Vladislav Goldin and ex-Yale Danny Wolf, combining for nearly 30-ppg. Michigan has had a bit of a bumpy go in the last two outings, twice forced into OT, but won handily in five previous for Dusty May, whose team continues to rank high in FG accuracy (50.6% ranks 4th). The Wolverines own the sort of length on the perimeter to cause problems for Matt Painter's long-range gunners Braden Smith (40.2% 3s) and Fletcher Loyer (46.3% triples). Play Michigan.

Quick payback chance here for the Jets after surrendering three goals in the third period of Monday's 5-2 loss at Salt Lake City. Connor Hellebuyck in particular should be primed to atone in goal, and his numbers in the MTS Centre this season (17-3-0, 1.81 GAA, .932 saves) suggest he should. Hellebuyck bounced back from that loss on Monday to beat the AVs in OT, 3-2, at Denver on Wednesday. Also note Hellebuyck blanked Utah the last time he face the Hockey Club at home back on November 5 (3-0 Winnipeg). Utah gives Connor Ingram a look in goal tonight and holds its breath as he's posted some very subpar numbers (3.67 GAA and.862 saves) on the road this season. Play Jets on Puck Line

Apparently, these second nights of back-to-backs aren't the Flyers' thing; they're 0-7 in that role this term. Last night's 6-1 loss to the Rangers at MSG might be worth a mulligan as Philly had won three in a row prior, but some worrying developments for John Tortorella, as his offense has scored just one goal (regulation time) in each of the last two games. Ivan Fedotov also gets his first work in goal in ten days but note the Flyers have lost in his last four starts. The Isles need to kick on right about now if they want to get back into the playoff discussion and back-to-back wins vs. the Sharks and Blue Jackets might be a kick-start. Play Islanders on Puck Line

In the oddball trends department, Kent State is at the front of the line. Six MAC games to date for the Golden Flashes, who have lost their three at home...and won all three away! (Shhesh!) Moreover, none of the games have been especially close. Rob Senderoff's teams usually win with discipline and defense, but his KSU sides usually shoot the ball better than the current edition, which hits just 41.6% from the floor and 28.6%% from deep. We suspect this is where that inside-out trend of the Golden Flashes finally ceases, as host Ohio has balance (four DD scorers) and an especially hot hand in ex-Creighton G Shereef Mitchell, scoring at a 17 pg clip the past four. Play Ohio

Chicago State has become very formful this season for something other than losses. Unders are clicking with regularity, cashing in four of five and eight of ten. Most Cougars scorelines aren't even getting to 130, including the first meeting vs. the Skyhawks produced 120. And it's no surprise with Chicago State sporting offensive numbers among the worst in the land including scoring (59.5 ppg, ranks 354 of 355), FG shooting (36.25%...355th), and 3-point accuracy (29.06%, "only" 340th). Stonehill was content to grind away in the first meeting, though we wonder about top scorer G Josh Morgan (ex-ICW; 12.3 ppg), who has missed recent action and was held to single digits in his last three appearances. Play Chicago State-Stonehill Under.

The Sixers season seems to have stalled on the Walt Whitman Bridge; Joel Embiid remains sidelined and Philly has slipped to 15-27 and on the wrong side of the East's play-in cut line. Meanwhile, it's a rare chance to go with the Cavs off of a loss (Wednesday at Houston), as they're 5-1 after previous defeats, the only loss those puzzling back-to-back losses vs. the Hawks in late November. Philly might have bottomed out in the 144-109 loss at Denver on Thursday; Sixers fans can only hope so, as that result stretched the losing skid to seven straight, and the last three of those, the Sixers haven't been closer than 13 points. Play Cavs