Opening Line: Hoosiers Holding Steady As 4.5-Point Favorite Over Kent State on Friday

Kent State has been undervalued by the betting public all year long and has covered in nearly 70 percent of its games. That's why they are a trendy upset pick against Indiana on Friday night. Here's the latest on the point spread, and a thorough background vs. the number for both team. Great knowledge here.

ALBANY, N.Y. — All week long, the point spread on Indiana's game with Kent State has remained the same. Since Sunday night, the Hoosiers have been 4.5-point favorites, and they're still 4.5-point favorites on game day, according to the Fanduel gambling website.

In other words, money has been coming in on both sides in the No. 4 vs. No. 13 matchup that tips off at approximately 9:55 p.m. ET on Friday night. It's the last of four games in Albany, just after the Miami-Drake game. Indiana gets the winner of that game if they get past Kent State.

Indiana has been good as a favorite most of the year, going 19-5 straight up and 13-11 vs. the spread. But they are just 2-6 vs. the spread in their last eight games dating back to Feb. 14.

Kent state covered in their first nine games vs. the number, and also won and covered in all three Mid-American Conference games. That's why they've been a popular pick to pull off an upset this week.

Here is a thorough breakdown on what Indiana has done all season, both straight up and against the spread:

Indiana by the numbers

• Indiana overall record: 22-11
• Indiana overall vs. spread: 16-17
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• Indiana home record: 15-2
• Indiana home vs. spread: 10-7
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• Indiana road record: 5-7
• Indiana road vs spread: 4-8
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• Indiana neutral court record: 2-2
• Indiana neutral court vs. spread: 2-2
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• Indiana record as favorite: 19-5
• Indiana vs. spread as favorite: 13-11
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• Indiana record as underdog: 3-6
• Indiana vs. spread as underdog: 3-6

Indiana vs. the spread

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

• Nov. 7 — Beat Morehead State 79-57 as a 1.5-point underdog (won)
• Nov. 10 — Beat Bethune-Cookman 101-49 as a 32.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 18 — Won at Xavier 81-79 as a 1.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 20 — Beat Miami of Ohio 86-56 as a 27.5-point favorite in Indianapolis (won)
• Nov. 23 — Beat Little Rock 86-67 as a 29..5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 25 — Beat Jackson State 90-51 as a 28.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 30 — Beat No. 18 North Carolina 77-65 as a 4.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 3 — Lost at Rutgers 63-48 as a 3-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 7 — Beat Nebraska 81-55 as a 12.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 10 — Lost to No. 10 Arizona 89-75 in Las Vegas as a 1.5-point underdog (lost)
• Dec. 17 — Lost at No. 8 Kansas 84-62 as a 5.5-point underdog (lost)
• Dec. 20 — Beat Elon 96-72 as a 28.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 23 — Beat Kennesaw State 69-55 as a 17.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 5 — Lost at Iowa 91-89 as a 1.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 8 — Lost to Northwestern 84-83 as a 7.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 11 — Lost at Penn State 85-66 as a 2.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 14 — Beat No. 18 Wisconsin 63-45 as a 4-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 19 — Won at Illinois 80-65 as a 6.5-point underdog (won)
  
• Jan. 22 — Beat Michigan State 82-63 as a 4.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 25 — Won at Minnesota 61-57 as an 11.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 28 — Beat Ohio State 86-70 as a 4.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 31 — Lost at Maryland 66-55 as a 2.5-point underdog (lost)
• Feb. 4 — Beat No. 1 Purdue 79-74 as a 1-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 7 — Beat No. 24 Rutgers 66-60 as a 4.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 11 — Won at Michigan 62-61 as a 2.5-point underdog (won)
• Feb. 15 — Lost at Northwestern 64-62 as a 1.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 18 — Beat Illinois 71-68 as a 6.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 21 — Lost at Michigan State 80-65 as a 3.5-point underdog (lost)
• Feb. 25 — Won at No. 5 Purdue 79-71 as a 6.5-point underdog (won)
• Feb. 28 — Lost to Iowa 90-68 as a 6.5-point favorite (Iost)
• March 5 — Beat Michigan 75-73 in overtime as a 4.5-point favorite (lost)
• March 10 — Beat Maryland 70-60 in Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals in Chicago as a 2.5-point favorite (won)
• March 11 — Lost to Penn State 77-73 in Big Ten Tournament semifinals in Chicago as a 3.5-point favorite (lost)

Kent State vs. the spread

Kent State — who is 28-6 on the season, and finished 15-3 in the Mid-American Conference regular season and the won the league tourney. 

They are 21-11 against the spread this season and covered in big nonconference games against Houston, Gonzaga and Charleston. They were severely undervalued early in the season, covering the spread in their first nine games where a line was set. They also won and covered in all three MAC tournament games.

Here's what Kent State has done this season, straight up and against the number:

• Nov. 7 — Won at Northern Kentucky 79-57 as a 1.5-point underdog (won)
• Nov. 10—Beat Baldwin-Wallace College 76-55. No line.  
• Nov. 14— Beat Portland 77-65 as a 5.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 16 — Beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 94-68 as a 20.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 19 — Beat Chicago State 88-59 as a 20.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 23 — Lost at College of Charleston 74-72 as a 3.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 26 — Lost at No. 2 Houston 49-44 as a 19.5-point underdog (won)
• Dec. 2 — Beat South Dakota State 83-68 as 7.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 5 — Lost at Gonzaga 67-58 as an 8.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 10 — Won at Cleveland State 67-58 as a 7.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 18 – Beat Concord 106-56. No line.
• Dec. 21 — Beat New Mexico State 73-63 in the Sun Bowl Invitational in El Paso, Texas as an 4.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 22 — Won at Texas-El Paso 47-46 in the Sun Bowl Invitational as a 6.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 3 – Beat Western Michigan 80-72 as an 18.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 7 — Won at Miami of Ohio 79-69 as an 11.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 10 — Beat Toledo 75-63 as a 4-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 13 — Won at Ohio 70-65 as a 3.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 17 — Won at Eastern Michigan 77-63 as a 13.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 20 — Beat Ball State 86-65 as an 8.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 24 — Lost at Northern Illinois 86-76 as a 12.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 27 — Beat Buffalo 74-68 as a 11.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 31 — Beat Central Michigan 81-69 as an 18.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 3 — Lost at Akron 67-55 as a 2.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 7 — Beat Bowling Green 87-64 as a 14.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 10 — Won at Buffalo 72-65 as a 4.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 14 — Won at Western Michigan 82-58 as an 11.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 17 — Beat Eastern Michigan 81-54 as an 18.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 21 — Lost at Ball State 82-70 as a 3.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 25 — Won at Bowling Green 79-69 as a 11.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 28 — Beat Ohio 82-75 as an 4.5-point favorite (lost)
• March 3 — Beat Akron 89-84 in overtime as a 5.5-point favorite (lost)
• March 9 — Beat Northern Illinois 76-57 in quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio as a 13.5-point underdog (won)
• March 10 — Beat Akron 79-73 in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio as a 2.5-point favorite (won)
• March 11 — Beat Toledo 93-78 in the finals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament in Cleveland as a 1-point underdog (won)