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Opening Line: Indiana Slight Favorite Over Big Ten Leader Illinois on Saturday

Illinois might have a two-game lead on Indiana in the Big Ten standings, but it's the Hoosiers who are a slight favorite in Saturday's game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Homecourt advantage carries a lot of weight. Here is the opening line as of Saturday morning, and a complete review of both teams against the spread all season.
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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The value of home court for Indiana inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall apparently trumps the Big Ten standings.

The unranked Hoosiers are slight favorites over No. 18-ranked Illinois on Saturday, despite trailing them by two games in the league ledger. According to the SISportsbook.com gambling website, Indiana is a 1.5-point favorite to beat the league-leading Illini. The over/under is 137.5.

  • UPDATE AT 11:30: Indiana has gone from a favorite to a 2-point underdog on most sites. 

Both teams are 16-5 overall, but Illinois is 9-2 in the league, while Indiana is just 7-4. The Hoosiers have lost only once at home all year, and have a fantastic history in covering the spread inside the historic building this season as well. They also have had a week to prepare, not playing a game since winning at Maryland last Saturday. 

Illinois has won three straight games in the series. The game starts at Noon ET, and is televised on ESPN. Fans are welcome. There are no attendance restrictions at all from the recent winter storm.

Indiana is 13-8 against the point spread this season. The Hoosiers are 13-1 at home and 11-3 vs. the spread as Assembly Hall. On the road, they are 2-4 straight up and 1-5 against the spread.

Here are Indiana's results thus far this season, both straight up and against the spread:

  • Nov. 9 — Beat Eastern Michigan 68-62 as a 24-point favorite (lost)
  • Nov. 12 — Beat Northern Illinois 85-49 as a 25.5-point favorite (won)
  • Nov. 17 — Beat St. John's 76-74 as a 6-point favorite (lost)
  • Nov. 21 — Beat Louisiana 76-44 as an 11.5-point favorite (won)
  • Nov. 23 — Beat Jackson State 70-35 as a 22.5-point favorite (won)
  • Nov. 27 — Beat Marshall 90-79 as a 10.5-point favorite (won)
  • Nov. 30 — Lost at Syracuse 112-110 as a 2.5-point favorite (lost)
  • Dec. 4 — Beat Nebraska 68-55 as an 11-point favorite (won)
  • Dec. 8 — Lost at No. 22 Wisconsin 64-59 as a 4.5-point underdog (lost)
  • Dec. 12 — Beat Merrimack 81-49 as a 20-point favorite (won)
  • Dec. 18 — Beat Notre Dame 64-56 in Indianapolis as a 4.5-point favorite (won)
  • Dec. 22 — Beat Northern Kentucky 79-61 as a 17-point favorite (won)
  • Jan. 2 — Lost at Penn State 61-58 as a 2.5-point favorite (lost)
  • Jan. 6 — Beat No. 13 Ohio State 67-51 as a 2-point favorite (won)
  • Jan. 9 — Beat Minnesota 73-60 as an 11-point favorite (won)
  • Jan. 13 — Lost at Iowa 83-74 as a 4.5 -point underdog (lost)
  • Jan. 17 — Won at Nebraska 78-71 as a 9-point favorite (lost)
  • Jan. 20 — Beat Purdue 68-65 as a 4-point underdog (won)
  • Jan. 23 — Lost to Michigan 80-62 as a 4-point favorite (lost)
  • Jan. 26 — Beat Penn State 74-57 as an 8.5-point favorite (won)
  • Jan. 29 — Won at Maryland 68-55 as a 1.5-point favorite (won)

Illinois is 16-5 overall and 9-2 in the Big Ten, moving into first place on Wednesday night after an impressive win over Wisconsin. 

The Illini are 9-12 against the spread all season. In Big Ten road games, they are 4-1 straight up, but just 2-3 against the spread. They had failed to cover four games in a row before blowing out Wisconsin on Wednesday night. 

Here's what Illinois has done so far this season:

  • Nov. 9 — Beat Jackson State 71-47 as a 24.5-point favorite (lost)
  • Nov. 12 — Beat Arkansas State 92-53 as a 17-point favorite (won)
  • Nov. 15 — Lost at Marquette 67-66 as an 8-point favorite (lost)
  • Nov. 22 — Lost to Cincinnati 71-51 in the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Mo.  as a 9.5-point favorite (lost)
  • Nov. 23 — Beat Kansas State 72-64 in the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Mo. as a 9.5-point favorite (lost)as an 12-point favorite (lost)
  • Nov. 26 — Beat UT-Rio Grande Valley 94-85 as a 26.5-point favorite (lost)
  • Nov. 29 — Beat Notre Dame 82-72 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge as a 4.5-point favorite (won)
  • Dec. 3 — Beat Rutgers 86-51 as a 9.5-point favorite (won)
  • Dec. 7 — Won at Iowa 87-83 as a 3.5-point underdog (won)
  • Dec. 11 — Lost to Arizona 83-79  as a 2.5-point underdog (lost)
  • Dec. 18 —Beat St. Francis (Pa.) 106-48 as a 22.5-point favorite (won)
  • Dec. 22 — Beat Missouri 88-63 in St. Louis, Mo., as a 14.5-point favorite (won)
  • Jan. 4— Won at Minnesota 76-53 as a 6.5-point favorite (won)
  • Jan. 6 — Beat Maryland 76-64 as a 13.5-point favorite (lost)
  • Jan. 11 — Won at Nebraska 81-71 as a 12.5-point favorite (lost)
  • Jan. 14 — Beat Michigan 68-53 as a 115.5-point favorite (won)
  • Jan. 17 —Lost to Purdue 96-88 in 2-OT as as 1.5-point favorite (lost)
  • Jan, 21— Lost at Maryland 81-65 as as 4.5-point favorite (lost)
  • Jan. 25 — Beat Michigan State 56-55 as a 3.5-point favorite (lost)
  • Jan. 29 — Won at Northwestern 59-56 as a 5.5-point favorite (lost)
  • Feb. 2— Beat Wisconsin 80-67 as a 7.5-point underdog (won)
  • COCKBURN A CHALLENGE: The battle of big men is always something special when Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis and Illinois' Kofi Cockburn get together, and the two stars square off again on Saturday, with Big Ten title aspirations firmly at play. Cockburn and Illinois lead the Big Ten right now. CLICK HERE
  • CHUCK CRABB RETIRES: Chuck Crabb was best known for being the public address announcer at Assembly Hall for the past 45 years, and he retired on Monday. He's 71, and he's seen a lot, but now it's time to join in wife in Florida and enjoy retirement, he said during a lengthy interview on Monday. CLICK HERE
  • BIG TEN ROUNDUP (Feb. 2): Illinois center Kofi Cockburn scored 37 points and had 12 rebounds as the No. 18 Illini beat No. 11 Wisconsin 80-67 to move into first place in the Big Ten. Here is Wednesday night's roundup, with the rest of the week's league schedule CLICK HERE
  • PHOTO GALLERY: Here's a look back at Indiana's win over Maryland in picture form, with more than two dozen pictures from the game. CLICK HERE
  • ROB PHINISEE'S PLANTAR FASCIITIS: Indiana senior guard Rob Phinisee said he his getting treatment for his injured right foot, but there is no timetable yet for his return. He talked about the injury and his game-winning shot against Purdue along with teammate Xavier Johnson during Tuesday night's "Point Guard Podcast.'' CLICK HERE.
  • TOM BREW COLUMN: Saturday at Maryland was a special day for Indiana point guards Xavier Johnson and Khristian Lander, for vastly different reasons. It was a homecoming of sorts for Johnson, with quality time spent with family. And for Lander, he was back on the floor and contributing, which was very important for him as well as he scratches to find a role on this team. CLICK HERE
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