Opening Line: Indiana Slight Favorite in Road Test at Xavier

Indiana has had two easy wins to start the season, but now it gets real with a road trip to Xavier in the Gavitt Tipoff Games. Xavier has won 85 percent of its home games since 2000, the reason why the Hoosiers are just a tiny favorite. Here's the latest line, and both team's history against the spread.

Updated 5 p.m. ET

CINCINNATI, Ohio — No. 12-ranked Indiana gets its first tough test of the 2022-23 basketball season on Friday night when it hits the road to face Xavier in the final night of the Gavitt Tipoff Games. 

The oddsmakers agree that this one will not be easy. Indiana is favored, but just by 2.5 points according to the Fanduel gambling website. The over/under is 143.5.

• *** UPDATE: Xavier guard Colby Jones is out on the floor warming up and is planning to play tonight. He missed Tuesday's game with a sprained ankle. The line has dropped to 1.5 points and the over/under has dropped to 142.5. ***

The Hoosiers are 2-0 so far this season, and have covered easily in blowout wins over Morehead State and Bethune-Cookman at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. This will be different, though, hitting the road in a hostile environment, a spot where Indiana struggled a year ago.

Last year Indiana went 21-14 on the season and 20-15 against the spread, but they weren't good on the road at all. They only won three true road games — at Nebraska, Maryland and Minnesota — in 11 tries, and also were just 3-8 against the spread. They didn't cover in the Nebraska win, but covered in a loss at Purdue late in the season.

"After our Bethune game, the first thing I said before we broke huddle is, I'm thinking about the next game now,'' Indiana coach Mike Woodson said. "The road is different, but if you learn to handle your business and play well on the road, then it becomes contagious. But you got to do all the necessary things to win on the road. It's not easy winning on the road. You can't turn it over. 

"Where we had problems early last season, we were in every road game and led in a lot of road games, but our turnovers cost us early on. Key rebounds here and there, a missed defensive assignment here and there, those are the things that we have to clean up this year to be a great team on the road. When you go into these arenas, these guys, they feel good about themselves, too. They're at home now. Now you got to make them uncomfortable. So I'm kind of anxious to see where we are going into tomorrow night's game because we are going to have to be a good road team in order get where we need to go.''

Xavier is 3-0 so far this season, with three straight home victories. They are just 1-2 vs. the spread though, including a half-point non-cover in the opener against Morgan State. 

Xavier guard Colby Jones beats two Morgan State players to.a loose ball. (USA TODAY Sports)

They played with out standout guard Colby Jones on Tuesday in the win over Fairfield. He missed the game with an ankle injury suffered in practice on Monday, and still hasn't been able to practice. Xavier coach Sean Miller — the brother of former Indiana coach Archie Miller — is hopeful he can play, but no decision will be made until after Friday's shootaround.

Xavier has had a lot of success against Big Ten teams, going 12-3 since 2008. They are 3-1 in the Gavitt Tipoff Games, with wins over ranked Big Ten teams Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin.

They are very tough in their on-campus home. Xavier has compiled a 300-53 record — that's an .850 winning percentage — in the 10,224-seat Cintas Center, which opened in 2000. It is sold out nearly every game, including these first four games this season.

Indiana vs. the spread

Here's what Indiana has done this season, straight up and against the spread::

• Nov. 7 — Beat Morehead State 88-53 as 24.5-point favorites (won)
• Nov. 10 — Beat Bethune-Cookman 101-49 as 32.5-point favorites (won)

Xavier vs. the spread

Here's what Xavier has done this season, straight up and against the spread::

• Nov. 7 — Beat Morgan State 96-73 as 23.5-point favorites (lost)
• Nov. 11 — Beat Montana 86-64 as 17.5-point favorites (won)
• Nov. 15 — Beat Fairfield 78-65 as 19.5-point favorites (lost)

Related stories on Indiana basketball 

• HOW TO WATCH: Indiana takes on Xavier on Friday in the Gavitt Tipoff Game. Here's how to watch, with game time and TV information, three leading storylines, the coaching matchup, series history and more. CLICK HERE 
• JACKSON-DAVIS MOVES UP SCORING LIST: Trayce Jackson-Davis passed two more Indiana basketball legends on the school's all-time scoring list on Monday after he scored 15 points in the season opener. He's now No. 13 all-time with 1,603 points, with Brian Evans next on the list. CLICK HERE
• MIKE WOODSON, JORDAN HULLS TALK WITH DON FISCHER: Indiana basketball coach Mike Woodson reviewed the Hoosiers' first two wins of the season and looked ahead to Friday's road trip to Xavier on Monday night's 'Inside Indiana Basketball' radio show with Don Fischer. Former Indiana point guard Jordan Hulls, now the team's recruiting coordinator, also joined the show. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA 2022-23 SCHEDULE: Here is Indiana's complete 2022-23 schedule, with dates, game times and TV information, plus links to the stories from games played so far. CLICK HERE