Point Spreads: Indiana Opens as Hefty Underdog to Iowa in Big Ten Tourney

Indiana and Iowa meet in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Saturday, and for the third straight day, the Hoosiers will have their hands full. Iowa is red-hot and scoring like crazy, which makes them a big favorite to win. Here's what both teams have done against the number this season, with some interesting trends.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — No one rolled into the Big Ten Tournament any hotter than Iowa, and the Hawkeyes have proven through two games that they are a serious threat to win the whole thing.

Indiana, fresh off of upset wins over Michigan and Illinois, is next in line in trying to slow down the high-flying Hawkeyes. The two teams meet on Saturday in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament

Iowa is 10-2 in its last 12 games and the oddsmakers think the Hawkeyes will continue that hot streak. According to the FanDuel.com gambling website, Iowa is a 6-point favorite. The over/under is 143.5.

The Hoosiers are 20-12 overall and the No. 9 seed in the event. They upset Michigan 74-69 on Thursday in the second round, and then did the same to Illinois, avenging home losses to both of them. They were underdogs in both games, and won anyway.

Indiana and Iowa played in Iowa City on Jan. 13, and the Hawkeyes won 83-74. Poor free throwing shooting, too many turnovers and a lack of rebounding was too much for Indiana to overcome in the loss, which was, at the time, their eighth straight road loss dating back to February 2021. To read the game story, CLICK HERE 

Indiana is 18-14 against the point spread this season, but have been much better in Bloomington than on the road. The Hoosiers are 14-4 at home straight up and 12-6 vs. the spread at Assembly Hall. On the road, Indiana is just 4-8 straight up and 4-8 against the spread.

But they have won and covered in their three two neutral court games this season in Indianapolis, beating NCAAA-bound Notre Dame and now Michigan and Illinois. They have covered in five of their last six games. Is there more magic for the underdog?

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 at Northwestern 59-51 as a 2-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 12 — Lost at No. 17 Michigan State 76-61 as a 4-point underdog (lost)
• Feb. 15 — Lost to No. 15 Wisconsin 74-69 as a 3.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 21 — Lost at No. 22 Ohio State 80-69 in OT as a 7-point underdog (lost)
• Feb. 24 — Beat Maryland 74-64 as a 6.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 27 — Won at Minnesota 74-69 as a 3-point favorite (won)
• March 2 — Lost to Rutgers 66-63 as a 5.5-point favorite (lost)
• March 5 — Lost at Purdue 69-67 as a 10-point underdog (won)
• March 10 — Beat Michigan 74-69 in Indianapolis as as 3-point underdog (won)
• March 11 — Beat No. 16 Illinois 65-63 in Indianapolis as a 5-point underdog (won) 

Iowa is probably the hottest team in the Big Ten right now, and is 24-9 overall and finished 12-8 in Big Ten play, garnering the No. 5 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. They've been on a roll lately, covering in four of the past five games and six of eight. They are 20-13 against the spread this season. 

Here's what they done so far this season, both straight up and against the spread:

• Nov. 9 — Beat Longwood 106-73 as a 19.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 12 — Beat Kansas City 89-57 as a 19.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 16 — Beat North Carolina Central 86-69 as a 29-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 18 — Beat Alabama State 108-82 as an 27.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 22 — Beat Western Michigan 109-61 as a 22.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 26 — Beat Portland State 85-51 as a 24.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 29— Won at Virginia 75-74 as a 2.5-point underdog (won)
• Dec. 3 — Lost at Purdue 77-70 as an 15.5-point underdog (won)
• Dec. 6 — Lost to Illinois 87-83 as a 3.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 9— Lost at Iowa State 73-53 as a 5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 18 — Beat Utah State 94-75 as a 5.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 21 — Beat Southeast Louisiana 93-62 as a 28-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 29 — Beat Western Illinois 92-71 as an 18.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 3 — Beat Maryland 80-75 as a 9.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 6— Lost at Wisconsin 87-78 as a 3-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 13 — Beat Indiana 83-74 as a 4.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 16 — Won at Minnesota 81-71 as a 7-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 19 — Lost at Rutgers 48-46 as a 3-point favorite (loss)
• Jan. 22 — Beat Penn State 68-51 as a 10-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 27 — Lost to No. 6 Purdue 83-73 as a 2.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 31 — Lost at Penn State 90-86t in 2-OT as a 4.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 3 — at Ohio State, ppd., snow
• Feb. 6 — Beat Minnesota 71-59 as a 13.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 10 — Won at Maryland 110-87 as a 3.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 13 — Beat Nebraska 98-75 as a 16.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 17 — Lost to Michigan 84-79 as a 5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 19 — Won at No. 18 Ohio State 75-62 as a 5-point underdog (won)
• Feb. 22 — Beat Michigan State 88-60 as a 5.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 25 — Won at Nebraska 88-78 as a 12.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 28 — Beat Northwestern 82-61 as a 10-point favorite (won)
• March 3 — Won at Michigan 82-71 as a 2-point underdog (won)
• March 6 — Lost at No. 20 Illinois 74-72 as a 4-point underdog (lost)
• March 10 — Beat Northwestern 112-76 at Indianapolis as a 9-point favorite (won)
• March 11 — Beat Rutgers 84-74 in Indianapolis as a 7-point favorite (won)

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• GAME STORY: For the second straight day, Indiana pulled off a dramatic upset at the Big Ten Tournament, this time knocking off No. 1 seed Illinois 65-63 behind Trayce Jackson-Davis' jump shots and made free throws. Indiana will play Iowa in the semifinals on Saturday. CLICK HERE
• TOM BREW COLUMN: All of the hard work and heartache from this regular season is starting to reap benefits in the Big Ten Tournament for Indiana, and even though he doesn't want it, coach Mike Woodson deserves a lot of credit for that. CLICK HERE
• WHAT JACKSON-DAVIS AND JOHNSON SAID: Hoosier forward Trayce Jackson-Davis and guard Xavier Johnson led the Hoosiers to defeat No. 1-seed Illinois 65-63 in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. Read their full transcripts, or just watch the attached video of the entire press conference. CLICK HERE.
• WHAT WOODSON SAID: Here's what Indiana coach Mike Woodson said after Friday's upset win over No. 1-seeded Illinois. CLICK HERE
• LIVE BLOG: Relive all the play-by-play from Indiana's dramatic 65-63 win over top-seeded Illinois on Friday. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA VS. ILLINOIS PHOTO GALLERY: Look inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 30 photos from Indiana's 65-63 win over the No. 1-seed Fighting Illini. CLICK HERE
• TOURNAMENT RESULTS, SCHEDULE: Here are all the results from the Big Ten Tournament thus far, and the remaining schedule. CLICK HERE