Mus and his merry band of transfers are suddenly looking good...

With games involving the Purple Aces, their trends might take precedence, especially considering the eleven straight under results. With firepower limitations, David Ragland has slowed the pace to a crawl; scorelines have averaged a tick above 114 across the past five games. Evansville scores only 63.7 pg, which ranks 346 out of 355 nationally, and hits barely 29% of its triples (ranks 334). Indeed, the Purple Aces probably couldn't speed up the pace even if they tried. Meanwhile, though Ben Jacobson's Panthers prefer to go uptempo, they opened their season on a 10-3 under run until a recent spurt of three overs vs. faster-paced teams...not a label to affix to Evansville. Play Evansville-UNI Under

We attempt to see thru the expansive NBA daily injury report for this clash. More specifically, Hawks bombardier Trae Young appeared this morning, listed with an illness, though sources indicate his presence at the morning shootaround suggests he should be available tonight. Fundamentally this is a quick turnaround from last Thursday's 123-115 Suns win at Phoenix, when Atlanta couldn't hold a second-half lead after scoring 72 points prior to intermission. Subsequently, the Hawks had a game postponed at home vs. the Rockets due to winter storms in Atlanta. The Suns are no road warriors, however, with problems as a visitor. They've lost 10 of their last 12 games away, and the current three-game uptick all occurred in the desert. Play Hawks

Even with star 6-10 F Johni Broome (17.9 ppg; 10.7 rpg; ankle) out until further notice, Auburn remains formidable. Though if Bruce Pearl wants to win a national title with this current Tigers edition, Broome needs to return at some point. Minus Broome, matchups like tonight vs. MSU become even more challenging. Chris Jans has a tough-minded backcourt paced by Gs Josh Hubbard (17 ppg) and BC transfer Claudell Harris Jr, who spearhead an 84 ppg offense. A legit post scoring threat like 6-10 KeShawn Murphy allows the Bulldogs to effectively spread the floor in halfcourt sets as well. MSU has had enough quality efforts to suggest it can chase this scoreline much as that high-scoring loss to sixth-ranked Kentucky on Saturday. Play MSU

Not a helpless underdog, this Ball State side that's won five of six and just bombed Bowling Green 91-69 in Muncie on Saturday. It might be worth keeping tabs on the Cards, too, as they have a unique feature in the MAC, a bruising big man, as punishing boomerang transfer 6-10 C Payton Sparks has scored 19 or more and grabbed 12 rebounds or more in four of the past five games, while juco G Fatt Hill (16.5 ppg) balances the floor. As for the host Bobcats, they're only 4-8 as chalk this season, and not carried away by Saturday's blowout of a poor Northern Illinois. Play Ball State

After the Pacers won this first leg of the back-to-back by 15 on Sunday, the ML price puts a lot of faith in the Cavs and the 12 straight wins they recorded prior to Sunday. Yet shortchanging the Pacers (six straight wins) might not be advisable. Better value might exist tonight with totals, specifically the under side, especially if Tyrese Halliburton (hamstring) can't make the post for Indiana. He was injured in the Sunday game and scored just 2 points before going down, yet perhaps illustrative of his absence is how the pace slowed thereafter. Cavs HC Kenny Atkinson lamented Cleveland's second-half defensive shortcomings after the Sunday loss and would expect the Cavs to especially buckle down on the stop end tonight. Play Cavs-Pacers Under

Not the worst idea, perhaps, to ride this seven-game win streak for the Red Wings into Little Caesars tonight. This ascent started shortly after Todd McLellan took over behind the bench and is consistent with past surges we have seen in the NHL after coaching changes. Detroit has scored 31 goals across the win streak, with C Dylan Larkin in particular having tapped a rich vein of form, scoring five goals in as many outings this month. Note McLellan is giving the start in goal to Ville Husso, in the nets for the first time in a month. Meanwhile, the Sharks are slumping again on offense, scoring just four goals across their current three-game skid. Play Red Wings on Puck Line

One can sense a special effort might be forthcoming from the Lake Show tonight at Crytpto.com in wake of the devastating LA wildfires that postponed their last two games and burned down the home of HC JJ Redick. Also keep in mind a pair of road wins over the Spurs in November when LA and shot 50% or better from the floor in both wins. Meanwhile, SA could be starting to wobble a bit with three losses in a row, and the Spurs seeming to still feel the aftereffects of that 4th Q collapse at Chicago last Monday when hitting only 36.8% from the floor in a subsequent double-digit loss at Milwaukee. The Spurs were also postponed on Saturday at LA. Play Lakers

After Saturday's postponement, back at Intuit Dome should be a plus for the Clips, who have dropped four straight away but won three in a row at home. A recurring theme all season for LA has been under results which have hit in seven of the last ten in their latest uprising for Ty Lue's bunch. Earlier this season, LA had an 11-4-1 under run. More interesting, perhaps, is the Heat on the improve while Jimmy Butler serves a seven-game suspension. The three consecutive wins on this road trip (at Golden State, Utah, and Portland) are among the better Miami efforts of the season, with the Heat under in each and allowing fewer than 100 points all in all three games. Play Heat-Clippers Under

The Kings took a 4-3 OT verdict vs. Edmonton Dec. 28 at Crypto.com, catapulting into a current 5-1 stretch. Remember, however, the first four of those wins came at home, where LA has been practically unbeatable this season (14-2-1). On the road, LA has won just 10 of 23, and one of its last four, including Saturday's 2-1 loss at Calgary, the latest in a stretch of low-scoring games (only 7 regulation goals for Kings their last four). Meanwhile, the Oilers have also won five of six, but with some style, scoring three or four goals in each of those six. Note GK Start Skinner is 8-3-0 in his last 11 starts (also .914 saves in January). Play Oilers on Puck Line

This game was moved to Arizona, but the Vikings have other concerns, as the clock might have struck midnight for Sam Darnold last week at Detroit. It was all too reminiscent of the Darnold from previous years with the Jets and Panthers, and raises some concerns in Vikings camp as Darnold prepares for his first playoff start. Remember, the Rams took a Thursday night verdict (30-20) at SoFi over Minnesota back on October 24, as Matthew Stafford outplayed Darnold when tossing 4 TDs. Also note LA won all five December starts with Stafford at the helm, before bowing the the low-key finale vs. Arizona when Jimmy G was at QB as Sean McVay rested most of his regulars. Play Rams (at Glendale, AZ)

Unders have mostly clicked in Wild Card Weekend and no surprise if this one follows the same. These teams did play a 30-20 game in LA's favor at midseason on October 24 at SoFi Stadium, but there is reason to wonder about the Vikings offense tonight after the clock might have struck midnight for Sam Darnold last week at Detroit, when his performance looked eerily similar to some of his past failures with the Jets and Panthers. Meanwhile, before Sean McVay subbed liberally vs. Seattle, Rams December scorelines became extremely low after that shootout win over the Bills on December 8. LA was 8-4 under into the Seahawks game; Minny 10-7 under this season. Play Vikings-Rams Under (at Glendale, Az)

History has taught us to mostly ignore pre-league action for SWAC entries, who spend much of November and December overscheduling themselves for payday assignments against major conference opposition. Dynamics often change in league play, and we offer Jackson State, 0-13 into SWAC play but now 2-0 in the loop. That 0-13 deceives a bit because the schedule was brutal, but improved recent efforts coincide with the availability of ex-Ole Miss G Deashun Ruffin, a former double-digit scorer in the SEC recently activated and now the Tigers' leading scorer while pacing recent improved efforts. Ruffin could definitely make an impact in the SWAC, and unconvinced about A&M, whose two SWAC wins came vs. bottom-feeder Ark-Pine Bluff and Jerry Rice's Mississippi Valley State. Play Jackson State

Morgan State is hardly riding the handbrake for HC Kevon Broadus, as the over streak is now at nine after the first three MEAC tilts have cruised to scorelines of 158 or higher (the 102-98 win vs NC Central was helped by double OT). The last two games have been minus top scorer (and ex-Boston College) G Wynston Tabbs, but the Bears keep scoring, now at 82.4, high for a MEAC entry. Meanwhile, a good chance Norfolk State is the class of this loop, with the only overall winning mark (12-7) in the MEAC. Murray State transfer G Brian Moore (18.7 ppg) is flourishing in the Tidewater, and the Spartans' 49% FG shooting is outstanding for the MEAC. Play Norfolk State-Morgan State Over

Not to make a habit of going with the Raptors, but in relation to the Warriors, Toronto is at least a picture of health, with no significant injury woes save perhaps G Immanuel Quickley, who appears again on the injury report (hip) but played and scored 25 on Saturday vs. the suddenly-surging Pistons. Yes Toronto has lost 16 of 17 but the recent schedule has been challenging to say the least. The Dubs simply don't have easy games these days, and their ranks are again thinned, with Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski out, and Draymond Green iffy. Steph Curry might be enough to get the Dubs a win, but as for stretching a margin, Steve Kerr's bunch on a 5-10 skid as chalk. Play Raptors