Point Spread: Struggling Indiana Opens as Small Underdog at Michigan State

There are a lot of unknowns with Indiana with five suspended players returning for Saturday's game at Michigan State, and it's a bit surprising that the Spartans are barely favored according to the opening line. Here's the latest, plus a complete breakdown on both teams against the number this season.

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Indiana has a full roster again after five suspended players were reinstated on Thursday, but there's still a big unknown as to what the Hoosiers will look like during Saturday's game at Michigan State.

That's why it's a bit surprising that the Spartans have opened as just a modest 4-point favorite, according to the SISportsbook.com gambling website as of Saturday morning. The over/under is 134.

• 3 p.m. UPDATE —  The line has ticked up just a bit. Michigan is a 4.5-point favorite at gametime. 

The game starts at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. Here's how to watch the game. CLICK HERE

Indiana is 16-7 on the year after losing to Northwestern 59-51 on Tuesday in Evanston., Bloomington. It was the first time they've lost back-to-back games all season. Starting guards Xavier Johnson and Parker Stewart did not play because of curfew violations, nor did backups Michael Durr, Tamar Bates and Khristian Lander.

Indiana is 13-10 against the point spread this season. The Hoosiers are 13-2 at home and 11-4 vs. the spread as Assembly Hall, but on the road, they are 2-5 straight up and 1-6 against the spread.

Here are Indiana's results thus far this season, both straight up and against the spread:

• 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 at 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 at No. 22 Wisconsin 64-59 as a 4.5-point underdog (lost)
• Dec. 12 — Beat Merrimack 81-49 as a 20-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 18 — Beat Notre Dame 64-56 in Indianapolis as a 4.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 22 — Beat Northern Kentucky 79-61 as a 17-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 2 — Lost at Penn State 61-58 as a 2.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 6 — Beat No. 13 Ohio State 67-51 as a 2-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 9 — Beat Minnesota 73-60 as an 11-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 13 — Lost at Iowa 83-74 as a 4.5 -point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 17 — Won at Nebraska 78-71 as a 9-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 20 — Beat No. 4 Purdue 68-65 as a 4-point underdog (won)
• Jan. 23 — Lost to Michigan 80-62 as a 4-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 26 — Beat Penn State 74-57 as an 8.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 29 — Won at Maryland 68-55 as a 1.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 5 — Lost to No. 18 Illinois 74-57 as a 1.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 8 — Lost to Northwestern 59-51 as a 2-point favorite (lost)

Michigan State is 17-6 overall and 8-4 in the Big Ten. The Spartans are 13-10 against the spread all season. In Big Ten home games, they are 4-2 straight up, but just 2-4  against the spread. The Spartans have failed to cover in their past three games.

Here's what Michigan State has done so far this season:

• Nov. 9 — Lost to No. 3 Kansas 87-74 in the State Farm Champions Classic in New York as a 4.5-point underdog (lost)
• Nov. 12 — Beat Western Michigan 90-46 as a 24.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 17 — Won at Butler 73-52 in the Gavitt Games as a 3.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 20 — Beat Eastern Michigan 83-59 as a 22.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 24 — Beat Loyola  63-61 in the Battle 4 Atlantis in Nassau, Bahamas as a 1.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 25 — Beat No. 22 Connecticut 64-60 in the Battle 4 Atlantis in Nassau, Bahamas as a 2.5-point underdog (won)
• Nov. 26 — Lost to No. 6 Baylor 75-58  in the Battle 4 Atlantis in Nassau, Bahamas as a 6.5-point underdog (lost)
• Dec. 1 — Beat Louisville 73-64 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge as a 4-point favorite (won) 
• Dec. 4 — Beat Toledo 81-68 as a 13.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 8 — Won at Minnesota 75-67 as a 7.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 11— Beat Penn State 80-64 as a 10.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 21 — Beat Oakland 90-78 in Detroit as a 9.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 29 — Beat High Point 81-68 as a 22.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 2 —Won at Northwestern 73-67 as a 3-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 5 — Beat Nebraska 79-67 as a 15.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 8— At Michigan postponed, COVID-19
• Jan. 12 — Beat Minnesota 71-69 as an 11.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 15 — Lost to Northwestern 64-62 as a 9.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 21 — Won at No. 8 Wisconsin 86-74 as a 3-point underdog (won)
• Jan. 25 —Lost at No. 24 Illinois 55-54 as as 2.5-point underdog (won)
• Jan. 29 — Beat Michigan 83-67 as a 4.5-point underdog (won)
• Feb. 1 — Won at Maryland 65-63 in OT as a 4.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 5 — Lost at Rutgers 84-63 as a 2.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 8 — Lost to No. 14 Wisconsin 70-62 as a 4.5-point favorite (lost)

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• SUSPENDED PLAYERS RETURN: Indiana coach Mike Woodson said his Hoosiers had a good practice on Thursday after his five suspended players returned to the team, and they're hard at work preparing for a huge challenge at No. 17 Michigan State on Saturday. CLICK HERE
• PLAYERS REINSTATED: Indiana basketball coach Mike Woodson reinstated the five players he suspended earlier this week, saying in a release from the school that they broke curfew. They will all be available for Saturday's huge road game at Michigan State. CLICK HERE
• GOOD, BAD, UGLY FROM TUESDAY: HoosiersNow.com publisher breaks down the good, bad and ugly on the court from Tuesday night's loss at Northwestern. CLICK HERE
• WHAT TREY GALLOWAY SAID: Sophomore guard Trey Galloway scored 13 points for the Hoosiers before fouling out. Here's what he had to say following the loss in a postgame press conference. Read the full transcript, or watch the attached video. CLICK HERE.
• WHAT MIKE WOODSON SAID: Following five player suspensions, the Hoosiers fell to the Northwestern Wildcats 59-51 on the road. Indiana head coach Mike Woodson took to the podium to address the suspensions in a post game press conference. Read the full transcript, or just watch the attached video. CLICK HERE.
• TOM BREW COLUMN: Draw the lines. Five Indiana basketball players get suspended, and then Indiana loses at Northwestern in a very winnable game. So now, how much damage do these selfish suspensions do to this Indiana team that's trying to restore some pride and glory back into this program? We'll have to wait to see. CLICK HERE.
• GAME STORY: Indiana coach Mike Woodson suspended five players on Tuesday for breaking team rules, and the other half of his team fought gamely against Northwestern, but came up short after fading in the second half, losing 59-51. CLICK HERE
• HOOSIERS SUSPEND 5: Just minutes before Indiana's game with Northwestern, five players were suspended, including starting guards Xavier Johnson and Parker Stewart. CLICK HERE