Point Spread: Hoosiers Record-Setting Underdog at Purdue on Saturday

Indiana and Purdue meet for the second time this season at Mackey Arena on Saturday night, and the No. 2 Boilermakers are huge favorites. It's been more than 15 years since the Hoosiers were such big underdogs. Here's the latest on the point spread, with a great history of both teams against the number.

WEST LAFAYETTE — When we use ''big'' and ''Purdue'' in the same sentence, it's usually when we're referring to 7-foot-4 Boilermakers center Zach Edey. But there's another good usage on Saturday, and it's a bit stunning.

What makes us shake our head? Well, in the big nationally televised rivalry game with Indiana that starts at 8 p.m. ET Saturday night, No. 2-ranked Purdue is a big 18.5-point favorite over the Hoosiers, according to the SISportsbook.com gambling website. The over/under is 148.5.

That's a monster.

Indiana has never been that big of an underdog in the three years of the Mike Woodson era, and it's not even close. The largest line the Hoosiers have faced all year was at Illinois, where they were 14.5-point dogs. Indiana, tied with 53 seconds to go, did cover in that 72-64 loss.

And last year's largest point spread for the underdog Hoosiers? That would have been at Purdue too, when they were 10-point underdogs. The Hoosiers won outright that day, led by Jalen Hood-Schifino's 35 points. So tread lightly here, right?

This spread is bigger than anything since a November 2018 game at No. 3 Duke, when Indiana was a 15.5-point underdog. More than 18.5? You have to go all the way back to early years of Tom Crean's rebuild, when they were heavy underdogs just about every night in that 6-25 season. They were 21.5-point underdogs at Michigan State in February of 2009.

This is not uncommon territory for the dominating Boilermakers during this Big Ten season. They were 18,.5-point favorites at home against Penn State as well, and 17.5-point favorites against Michigan.  They were 9.5-point favorites in Bloomington in January, and won by 21. It was Purdue's largest margin of victory at IU since 1934, a mere 90 years ago.

The Hoosiers have been hard to figure this past week. They lost at home as a big favorite to Penn State but then won as an underdog at Ohio State on Tuesday night. It's the fourth time they won outright as an underdog in the Big Ten this year. That's impressive, in a way. They are also dealing with injury concerns. Point guard Xavier Johnson is out and center Kel'el Ware came up lame at the end of Tuesday's win at Ohio State. 

The game starts at 8 p.m. ET and is being televised on FOX. For all of the information on how to watch and a great preview of the game, CLICK HERE

Here's what Indiana has done against the spread so far this season. 

Indiana by the numbers

• Indiana overall record: 14-9
• Indiana overall vs. spread: 11-12
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• Indiana home record: 10-3
• Indiana home vs. spread: 7-6
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• Indiana road record: 2-4
• Indiana road vs spread: 3-3
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• Indiana neutral court record: 2-2
• Indiana neutral court vs. spread: 1-3
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• Indiana record as favorite: 10-1
• Indiana vs. spread as favorite: 5-6
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• Indiana record as underdog: 4-8
• Indiana vs. spread as underdog: 6-6
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• Indiana over total: 12
• Indiana under total: 11

For every game, we'll give you a complete rundown on what both teams have done against the spread. We'll have final scores, what they did versus the spread and what happened with the over/under totals.

Indiana results vs. spread this season

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

• Nov. 7 — Beat Florida Gulf Coast 69-63 at home as an 11.5-point favorite (did not cover). The score (132) went under the 142.5 over/under total.
• Nov. 12 — Beat Army 72-64 at home as a 25.5-point favorite (did not cover). The score (138) went over the 134.5 total.
• Nov. 16 — Beat Wright State 89-80 at home as a 15.5-point favorite (did not cover). The score (169) went far over the 146.5 total.
• Nov. 19 — Lost to No. 5 Connecticut 77-57 at Madison Square Garden in New York as a 12.5-point underdog (did not cover). The score (134) went under the 146.5 total.
• Nov. 20 — Beat Louisville 74-66 at Madison Square Garden in New York as an 8.5-point favorite at tipoff (did not cover). The score (140) went under the 146.5 total.
• Nov. 26 — Beat Harvard 89-76 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis as an 7.5-point favorite at tipoff (covered). The score (165) went far over the 140.5 total.
• Dec. 1 — Beat Maryland 65-53 at home as a 3.5-point favorite at tipoff (covered). The score (117) went far under the 136.5 total.
• Dec. 5 — Won at Michigan 78-75 as a 6.5-point underdog at tipoff (covered). The score (153) went over the 144.5 total.
• Dec. 9 — Lost to Auburn 104-76 in Atlanta as a 6.5-point underdog at tipoff (did not cover). The score (180) went far over the 147.5 total.
• Dec. 16 — Lost to No. 2 Kansas 75-71 at home as a 7.5-point underdog at tipoff (covered). The score (146) went under the 147.5 total.
• Dec. 19 — Beat Morehead State 69-68 at home as a 12.5-point favorite at tipoff (did not cover). The score (137) went under the 141.5 total.
• Dec. 21 — Beat North Alabama 83-66 at home as a 13.5-point favorite at tipoff (covered). The score (149) went over the 147.5 total.
• Dec. 29 — Beat Kennesaw State 100-87 at home as a 12.5-point favorite at tipoff (covered). The score (187) went over the 15.5 total.
• Jan. 3 — Lost at Nebraska 86-70 as a 3.5-point underdog at tipoff (did not cover). The score (156) went over the 151.5 total.
• Jan. 6 — Beat Ohio State 71-65 at home as a 1.5-point underdog at tipoff (covered). The score (136) went under the 147.5 total.
• Jan. 9 — Lost at Rutgers 66-57 as a 2.5-point underdog at tipoff (did not cover). The score (123) went under the 140.5 total.
• Jan. 12 — Beat Minnesota 74-62 as a 3.5-point favorite at tipoff (covered). The score (136) went under the 147.5 total.
• Jan. 16 — Lost to No. 2 Purdue 87-66 at home as a 9.5-point underdog at tipoff (did not cover). The score (153) went over the 151.5 total.
• Jan. 19 — Lost at No. 11 Wisconsin 91-79 as an 11.5-point underdog at tipoff (did not cover). The score (180) went over the 141.5 total.
• Jan. 27 — Lost at Illinois 70-62 as a 14.5-point underdog at tipoff (coverede). The score (132) went under the 154.5 total.
• Jan. 30 — Beat Iowa 74-68 as a 1.5-point underdog at tipoff (covered). The score (142) went under the 160.5 total.
• Feb. 3 — Lost to Penn State 85-71 as a 6.5-point favorite at tipoff (did not cover). The score (156) went over the 150.5 total.
• Feb. 6 — Won at Ohio State 76-73 as an 6.5-point underdog at tipoff (cover). The score (149) went over the 143.5 total.

Purdue results vs. spread this season

Purdue is 21-2 overall and 10-2 in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers are starting to pull away in the league race, leading Illinois by 1.5 games and Wisconsin by two. No one else is within three games. Purdue's losses both came on the road at unranked Northwestern and Nebraska.

The Boilermakers opened the season ranked No. 1 in the Kenpom.com computer rankings. Now they're at No. 2 as of Saturday morning, behind Houston. Indiana, by the way, is at No. 96.

Purdue is 15-8 against the spread this season, but that also includes three covers by just the half-point hook. In league games, they are just 6-6 against the spread. Sixteen of its 23 games have gone over the total,.

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

• Nov. 6 — Beat Samford 98-45 at home as a 19.5-point favorite (covered). The score (143) went under the 144.5 over/under total.
• Nov. 10— Beat Morehead State 87-57 at home as an 28.5-point favorite (covered). The score (144) went over the 138.5 over/under total.
• Nov. 13 — Beat Xavier 83-71 at home in the Gavitt Games as a 16.5-point favorite (did not cover). The score (154) went under the 149.5 over/under total.
• Nov. 20— Beat No. 11 Gonzaga 73-63 at Maui Invitational in Hawaii as a 5.5-point favorite (covered). The score (136) went under the 152.5 over/under total.
• Nov. 21— Beat No. 7 Tennessee 71-67 at Maui Invitational in Hawaii as a 3.5-point favorite (covered). The score (138) went over the 134.5 over/under total.
• Nov. 22 — Beat No. 4 Marquette 78-75 at Maui Invitational in Hawaii as a 2.5-point favorite (covered). The score (153) went over the 145.5 over/under total.
• Nov. 28— Beat Texas Southern 99-67 at home as a 31.5-point favorite (covered). The score (166) went over the 139.5 over/under total.
• Dec. 1 — Lost at Northwestern 92-88 in overtime as a 5.5-point favorite (did not cover). The score (180) went over the 136.5 over/under total.
• Dec. 4 — Beat Iowa 87-68 at home as a 14.5-point favorite (covered). The score (155) went under the 158.5 over/under total.
• Dec. 9— Beat Alabama 92-86 in Toronto as an 5.5-point favorite (covered). The score (178) went over the 161.5 over/under total.
• Dec. 16 — Beat No. 1 Arizona 92-84 in Indianapolis as a 1.5-point underdog (covered). The score (176) went over the 159.5 over/under total.
• Dec. 21— Beat Jacksonville 100-57 at home as a 32.5-point favorite (covered). The score (157) went over the 148.5 over/under total.
• Dec. 29— Beat Eastern Kentucky 80-53 at home as a 28.5-point favorite (did not cover). The score (138) went over the 134.5 over/under total.
• Jan. 2 — Won at Maryland 67-53 as a 6.5-point favorite (covered). The score (120) went under the 140.5 over/under total.
• Jan. 5— Beat No. 9 Illinois 83-78 at home as a 10.5-point favorite (did not cover). The score (161) went over the 152.5 over/under total.
• Jan. 9 — Lost at Nebraska 88-72 as a 7.5-point favorite (did not cover). The score (160) went over the 150.5 over/under total.
• Jan. 13— Beat Penn State 95-78 at home as an 18.5-point favorite (did not cover). The score (173) went over the 151.5 over/under total.
• Jan. 16 — Won at Indiana 87-66 as a 9.5-point favorite (covered). The score (153) went over the 151.5 total.
• Jan. 20 — Won at Iowa 84-70 as a 7.5-point favorite (covered). The score (154) went under the 164.5 total.
• Jan. 23— Beat Michigan 99-67 at home as a 17.5-point favorite (covered). The score (166) went over the 153.5 over/under total.
• Jan. 28 — Won at Rutgers 68-60 as a 10.5-point favorite (did not cover). The score (128) went under the 142.5 total.
• Jan. 31— Beat Northwestern 105-96 in overtime at home as a 14.5-point favorite (did not cover). The score (201) went over the 141.5 over/under total.
• Feb. 4 — Won at No. 6 Wisconsin 75-69 as a 1.5-point favorite (covered). The score (144) went over the 143.5 total.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• JACK ANKONY COLUMN: A second-half comeback at Ohio State taught a young Indiana team a lot about winning, and players thought it could serve as a boost in momentum for the final eight games of the season. But a trip to Mackey Arena is next, and the challenge of stopping Zach Edey and all of Purdue’s great 3-point shooters may stop the momentum Indiana worked so hard to build. CLICK HERE
• WHY FEWER MINUTES FOR GUNN, BANKS?: Playing time has decreased in recent weeks for sophomores CJ Gunn and Kaleb Banks as coach Mike Woodson searches for production from a bench that hasn't given Indiana enough this season. CLICK HERE
• KEL'EL WARE INJURY UPDATE: Indiana center Kel'el Ware's status for Saturday's game at Purdue is uncertain after suffering an injury late in Tuesday's game at Ohio State. Coach Mike Woodson said Ware had the day off Wednesday to get treatment. CLICK HERE
• MEET THE OPPONENT, PURDUE: Purdue is having its way in Big Ten play again, posting a 10-2 conference record and seven consecutive wins. Led by reigning National Player of the Year Zach Edey and plenty of 3-point shooters, this could be the year Purdue breaks through in the NCAA Tournament. Here's a full breakdown of Indiana's Saturday opponent, the Purdue Boilermakers. CLICK HERE
• GAME STORY: Indiana came back from an 18-point deficit to defeat Ohio State 76-73 Tuesday in Columbus. Malik Reneau led the Hoosiers with 26 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, and Trey Galloway scored 25 points. Though he only attempted one shot, Anthony Leal hit the biggest one all night. CLICK HERE
• TOM BREW COLUMN: Anthony Leal did a lot of good things Tuesday night, but it was his one and only made basket — a three-pointer with 22 seconds to go — that gave Indiana some life again after a thrilling 76-73 win over Ohio State. The Hoosiers came back from 18 points down in the second half. CLICK HERE