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Josh Norris’ return could not have been scripted any better. Buffalo activated him Monday after a 24-game absence and he delivered two goals and an assist in a 5-1 win over Winnipeg. His line drove play, and the Sabres extended a strong run of six wins in their last nine. The organization views Norris as a foundational piece and his immediate impact highlighted why. Buffalo has also strung together convincing wins over Edmonton, Chicago and Carolina. Their offense looks sharper, their forecheck creates turnovers and their balance throughout the lineup has tightened. The Sabres have not reached the postseason since 2011, but the roster looks more complete with Norris back. Philadelphia faces the opposite situation. The Flyers lost top scorer

Butler rides into this one at 6-1 after a wild split personality performance against Wright State: flat and disjointed without starting point guard Jalen Jackson in the first half, then erupting for 65 points after halftime once they finally found their offensive rhythm. Eastern Michigan comes in at 5-3, on a two-game winning streak and fresh off a controlled 73-55 win over NJIT that suggested their physicality and rebounding can travel. Jackson’s likely absence is the central storyline. Thad Matta has already admitted Butler has to “find its way” offensively when he is out, and that means heavier creation duties for Finley Bizjack and Michael Ajayi, plus more responsibility on Azavier Robinson to manage the game as a starter. Eastern

Maryland returns to College Park looking to re-establish its trademark toughness on the boards after getting manhandled in back-to-back blowout losses to Gonzaga and Alabama at the Players Era tournament. Over those two games, the Terrapins were outrebounded 88-59, a far cry from the elite rebounding margins Buzz Williams posted during his last two seasons at Texas A&M. Wagner arrives with just one win but some renewed belief after a wild 103-101 overtime victory at Manhattan. Nick Jones erupted for 35 points and the Seahawks saw six players hit double figures in a game that also delivered interim head coach Dwan McMillan his first win since taking over amid the investigation into Donald Copeland. This is a clear step down

Marquette returns to Fiserv Forum needing a clean, wire-to-wire performance more than a statement win. The Golden Eagles sit at 4-4 and have dropped three of their last four, all in games that were there to be closed out. The latest setback was a 75-74 neutral-court loss to Oklahoma in Chicago, where Marquette led by 12 midway through the second half before giving up a 21-5 run and watching another winnable game slip away. Chase Ross remains the offensive engine, averaging 20.9 points per game and stretching his streak of double-figure outings to eight with a 21-point effort against the Sooners. Freshman guard Nigel James Jr. continues to look ahead of schedule, adding 20 points in that defeat and solidifying