Indiana Opens As Small Favorite Against Notre Dame Saturday in Final Crossroads Classic

It's the final Crossroads Classic basketball doubleheader in Indianapolis on Saturday, and Indiana has won more games in the event than anyone. Oddsmakers think they should add another against Notre Dame on Saturday, but it's a close one. Here's the latest on the point spread.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Indiana and Notre Dame tangle on Saturday in Indianapolis in the 11th and final Crossroads Classic, and the Hoosiers have opened as a four-point favorite in the game, according to the SISportsbook.com gambling website.

The Hoosiers are 8-2 on the season, winning all eight home games and losing twice on the road at Syracuse and Wisconsin. This is their first — and only — neutral site game on the schedule. Notre Dame is just 4-4, but had a signature win last weekend, knocking off then No. 10-ranked Kentucky in South Bend.

The Hoosiers are 6-4 against the point spread this season. Here are their results thus far:

• 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 to 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 to Wisconsin 64-59 as a 4.5-point underdog (lost)
• Dec. 12 — Beat Merrimack 81-49 as a 20-point favorite (won)

Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis blocks a shot against Notre Dame during his freshman year with the Hoosiers. (USA TODAY Sports)

Notre Dame is just 2-6 against the spread all season, and even lost two games as a favorite.

In the first game of the Crossroads Classic on Saturday, No. 3-ranked Purdue is a 16-point favorite over Butler. It's the largest point spread ever in a Crossroads Classic game. The game starts at Noon ET, and Indiana and Notre Dame will follow at approximately 2:30 p.m. ET. Both games are on FOX.

Here is a preview of the game from our Sports Illustrated Purdue site. CLICK HERE

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• WOODSON GOES HOME: Proud Indianapolis native Mike Woodson takes his Indiana team to his hometown for the first time on Saturday when the Hoosiers play Notre Dame in the Crossroads Classic. He'd like to see more games in Indy, and he dropped some names — Kentucky, UCLA — as options. CLICK HERE
• POINT GUARD PODCAST: Join Indiana guards Xavier Johnson and Rob Phinisee on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. ET on the ''Point Guard Podcast. Here are the links to watch it live online. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA SETS HOME/HOME WITH KANSAS: Looking to beef up its schedule with high-profile games, the Hoosiers will play Kansas in a home-and-home series starting in December 2022. The first game will be in Lawrence, and the second one in Bloomington in December of 2023. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA SCHEDULE: Here is the complete 2021-22 Indiana men's basketball schedule, with game times, TV information where applicable, and links to all the game stories and Tom Brew columns so far. CLICK HERE