Point Spread: Despite 3-Game Losing Streak, Indiana Opens as Slight Favorite vs. Wisconsin

Even though Indiana has been struggling of late, the Hoosiers are still favored to snap their losing streak on Tuesday night when they take on No. 15 Wisconsin at Assembly Hall. Here's the opening line, and how both teams have fared against the spread all season.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana has hit the skids for the first time all year, losing three straight games. In the midst of games against four ranked teams in a two-week period, it doesn't get any easier on Tuesday night, when the Hoosiers host No. 15-ranked Wisconsin.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Hoosiers are favored in the game despite the losing streak. According to the SISportsbook.com gambling website, the Hoosiers are a 3.5-point favorite. The over/under is 132.

The two teams played in the first week of the Big Ten schedule in December, with Wisconsin erasing a 22-point first-half deficit and winning 64-59 in Madison on Dec. 8 with a furious late rally.

Indiana is 16-8 on the year after losing to Michigan State 76-61 on Saturday in East Lansing. It's the first time they've lost three games in a row all season. 

Indiana is 13-11 against the point spread this season. The Hoosiers are 13-2 at home and 11-4 vs. the spread as Assembly Hall, but those two losses have come in the past three weeks to Michigan and Illinois. On the road, Indiana is 2-6 straight up and 1-7 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)
• Feb. 12 — Lost at Michigan State 76-61 as a 4-point underdog (lost)

Wisconsin is 19-5 and 10-4 in the Big Ten. The Badgers are 13-11 against the spread all season. In Big Ten road games, they are 5-2 straight up, and 4-3 against the spread. The Badgers have failed to cover in six of their past seven games.

Here's what Wisconsin has done so far this season:

• Nov. 9 — Beat St. Francis 81-58 as a 24.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 12 — Beat Green Bay  72-34 as a 21.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 15 — Lost to Providence 76-74 as a 5.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 22 — Beat Texas A&M 69-58 in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational in Las Vegas as a 3.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 23 — Beat No. 12 Houston 65-63 in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational in Las Vegas as a 8.5-point underdog (won)
• Nov. 24 — Beat St. Mary's 61-55 in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational in Las Vegas as a 2.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 1 — Won at Georgia Tech 70-66 as a 2.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 4 — Beat Marquette 89-76 as a 7-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 8 — Beat Indiana 64-59 as a 4.5-point underdog (won)
• Dec. 11 — Lost at Ohio State 73-55 as a 5-point underdog (lost)
• Dec. 15 — Beat Nicholls 71-68 as a 17.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 23 — Game vs. George Mason cancelled (COVID)
• Dec. 29 — Beat Illinois State 89-85 as a 17-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 3 — Won at No. 3 Purdue 74-69 as a 12.5-point underdog (won)
• Jan. 6 — Beat Iowa 87-78 as a 3.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 9 — Won at Maryland 70-69 as a 1.5-point underdog (won)
• Jan. 13 — Beat No. 16 Ohio State 78-68 as a 3.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 18 — Won at Northwestern 82-76 as a 2-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 21 — Lost to No. 14 Michigan State 86-74 as a 3-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 27 — Won at Nebraska 73-65 as a 9-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 30 — Beat Minnesota 66-60 as an 11.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 2 — Lost at No. 18 Illinois 68-55 as a 7-point underdog (lost)
• Feb. 5 — Beat Penn State 54-49 as a 9.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 8 — Won at Michigan State 70-62 as a 4-point underdog (won)
• Feb. 12 — Lost to Rutgers 73-65 as a 8-point favorite (lost)