Opening Line: Purdue Was Favored, But Line Swings Hard to Indiana By Morning
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — When oddsmakers set a point spread on a college basketball game, they aren't predicting the outcome. They're trying to find the right number that attracts an equal amount of action on both teams.
They whiffed on the Indiana-Purdue line for Saturday's huge in-state rivalry. The line was released Friday night on SISportsbook.com, with the No. 1-ranked Boilermakers listed as a 1.5-point favorite. The over/under is 139.
The betting public, though, thinks they've made a huge mistake. Heavy money has been coming in on Indiana, so much so that the huge has swung by three full points — which is a lot in overnight wagering — and at 6 a.m. ET on Saturday, it's the No. 21-ranked Hoosiers who are now favored.
The game is at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday on ESPN. Here's the story on how to watch Dick Vitale and the gang, plus our usual great preview of the game. CLICK HERE
It's been surprising to see the line swing so hard to Indiana. They had their five-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday in a 66-55 loss at Maryland, and Purdue won big the next night, winning by 20 over Penn State. Momentum certainly favors Purdue. They've also won 10 of the last 11 games in the series, with the only loss coming in Bloomington last January.
The Hoosiers have been very good at home lately, beating Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State all by double digits.
Purdue has only been an underdog three times all season, but that's hasn't mattered. They won all three games outright, beating Duke and Gonzaga in Portland, Ore., and beating Ohio State on the road.
Here is a thorough breakdown on what Indiana has done all season, both straight up and against the spread. We'll update this story every couple of hours today to get you the latest on the number.
Indiana by the numbers
- Indiana overall record: 15-7
- Indiana overall vs. spread: 11-11
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- Indiana home record: 11-1
- Indiana home vs. spread: 8-4
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- Indiana road record: 3-5
- Indiana road vs spread: 2-6
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- Indiana neutral court record: 1-1
- Indiana neutral court vs. spread: 1-1
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- Indiana record as favorite: 14-2
- Indiana vs. spread as favorite: 10-6
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- Indiana record as underdog: 1-5
- Indiana vs. spread as underdog: 1-5
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 a 24.5-point favorite (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 underdogs (lost)
Purdue vs. the spread
Purdue is 22-1 on the season but they have not been a good team to wager on, going just 10-13 against the spread. The Boilermakers covered in their three big games in Portland back in December, including winning twice as an underdog to Gonzaga and Duke.
After that, the Boilermakers have failed to cover in six straight games. In Big Ten games since the start of the new year, they are 6-3 against the spread, including winning and covering in both games this week at home against Michigan State and Penn State.
In true road games. they are 7-0 so far but just 3-4 vs. the spread. Here's what Purdue has done this season, straight up and against the spread:
- Nov. 8 — Beat Milwaukee 84-53 as a 25.5-point favorite (won)
- Nov. 11 —Beat Austin Peay 63-44 as an 24.5-point favorite (lost)
- Nov. 15 — Beat Marquette 75-70 as a 8.5-point favorite (lost)
- Nov. 24 — Beat West Virginia 80-68 in Portland Ore. as a 1.5-point favorite (won)
- Nov. 25 — Beat No. 6 Gonzaga 84-66 in Portland, Ore. as a 6.5-point underdog (won)
- Nov. 27 — Beat No. 8 Duke 75-56 in Portland, Ore. as a 1.5-point underdog (won)
- Nov. 30 — Won at Florida State 79-69 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge as 15.5-point favorite (lost)
- Dec. 4 — Beat Minnesota 89-70 as a 20.5-point favorite (lost)
- Dec. 7 — Beat Hofstra 85-66 as a 23.5-point favorite (lost)
- Dec. 10 — Won at Nebraska 65-62 in overtime as an 7.5-point favorite (lost)
- Dec. 17 – Beat Davidson 69-61 in Indianapolis as a 14.5-point favorite (lost)
- Dec. 21 — Beat New Orleans 74-53 as an 31.5-point favorite (lost)
- Dec. 29 — Beat Florida A&M 82-49 as a 37,.5-point favorite (lost)
- Jan. 2 — Lost to Rutgers 65-64 as an 8.5-point favorite (lost)
- Jan. 5 — Won at No. 24 Ohio State 71-69 as a 2.5-point underdog (won)
- Jan. 8 — Won at Penn State 76-63 in Philadelphia but still considered a home game as an 5.5-point favorite (won)
- Jan. 13 – Beat Nebraska 73-55 as a 15.5-point favorite (won)
- Jan. 16 — Won at Michigan State 64-63 as an 3.5-point favorite (lost)
- Jan. 19— Won at Minnesota 61-39 as a 12.5-point favorite (won)
- Jan. 22 – Beat Maryland 58-55 as a 9.5-point favorite (lost)
- Jan. 26 — Won at Michigan 75-70 as an 5.5-point favorite (lost)
- Jan. 29— Beat Michigan State 77-61 as an 8.5-point favorite (won)
- Feb. 1— Beat Penn State 80-60 as a 9-5-point favorite (won)
Related stories on Indiana basketball
- WOODSON PREACHING DEFENSE: Indiana will have to knock down shots, but Mike Woodson knows the Hoosiers need to be at their best on the defensive end to contain Zach Edey in the middle and Purdue's variety of 3-point shooters. CLICK HERE
- TJD AND EDEY AS NBA PROSPECTS: Purdue center Zach Edey and Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis are two of the best players in college basketball, but there are some folks who think they can't play in the NBA someday. Indiana coach Mike Woodson thinks that's foolish. CLICK HERE
- WOODSON ON PURDUE RIVALRY: Mike Woodson has been around the Indiana-Purdue rivalry as a high school recruit, college athlete and now as the Hoosiers' coach. Ahead of Saturday's game, Woodson shared stories and thoughts on the history of the rivalry. CLICK HERE
- INDIANA INJURY UPDATE: Ahead of Indiana's matchup with No. 1 Purdue on Saturday at Assembly Hall, coach Mike Woodson commented on the injury status of Xavier Johnson, Jordan Geronimo and Logan Duncomb. CLICK HERE
- JACK'S TAKE, THREE CONCERNS FOR IU VS. PURDUE: Indiana lost at Maryland on Tuesday and Purdue protected home court on Wednesday against Penn State, setting up Saturday's rivalry game at Assembly Hall. I wa. s at Mackey Arena on Wednesday, and here are some quick thoughts and concerns for the Hoosiers prior to their matchup against the nation's No. 1 team. CLICK HERE
