Purdue Opens as Modest Favorite in Thursday Night's Game at Indiana

Jan. 20 has been circled on the calendar for a while now, and it's finally here, with Purdue and Indiana squaring off in Assembly Hall on Thursday night. The No. 4-ranked Boilermakers, winners of nine straight in the series, are a modest favorite. Here's the latest line, with a complete breakdown of what both teams have done straight up and against the number this season.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — It's been nearly six years since Indiana has beaten Purdue, with the losing streak at nine games. The Hoosiers host the No. 4-ranked Boilermakers on Thursday night, and oddsmakers are predicting that the streak will continue.

Purdue has opened as a 3.5-point favorite, according to the SISportsbook.com gambling website. The over/under is 144. 

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The Hoosiers have an 13-4 overall record on the season and are 4-3 in the Big Ten. They are 10-7 against the point spread. The Hoosiers are 11-0 at home and 9-2 vs. the spread as Assembly Hall. On the road, they are 1-4 straight up and 0-5 against the spread so far on the road.

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)

Purdue is 15-2 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten. They were favored in their first 16 games before winning as a small underdog on Monday at Illinois. They are 10-7 against the spread, but just 3-7 in their last 10 games.

They are 5-1 in games away from West Lafayette, and 4-2 vs. the spread. Here's what the Boilermakers have done so far this season:

• Nov. 9 — Beat Bellarmine 96-67 as a 24.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 12 — Beat Indiana State 92-67 as a 22.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 16 — Beat Wright State 96-52 as a 16-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 20 — Beat No. 18 North Carolina 93-84 in Uncasville, Conn. as a 7.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 21 — Beat No. 5 Villanova 80-74 in Uncasville, Conn. as a 3-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 26 — Beat Omaha 97-40 as a 36.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 30— Beat Florida State 93-65 as a 11.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 3 — Beat Iowa 77-70 as a 15.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 9 — Lost at Rutgers 70-68 as a 13.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 12 — Beat N.C. State 82-72 in OT in Brooklyn as a 14.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 18 — Beat Butler 77-48 in Indianapolis as a 15.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 20 — Beat Incarnate Word 79-59 as a 39-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 29 — Beat Nicholls 104-90 as a 28.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 3— Lost to No. 22 Wisconsin 74-69 as a 12.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 8— Won at Penn State 74-67 as a 9.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 14— Beat Nebraska 92-65 as a 20.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 17— Won at No. 17 Illinois 96-88 in 2-OT as a 1.5-point underdog (won)

The combined record of both teams entering Thursday's game is 28-6, .824 winning percentage. That's the best combined mark of the two teams since a Feb. 19, 2008 meeting when the two teams entered that game with a combined record of 42-9 (.824). 

Purdue's 15-2 start matches the best 17-game start of the Matt Painter era, along with the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. A win over Indiana would give Painter just his second 18-game start of 16-2 during his 17 years at Purdue. The other was in 2017-18, when the Boilers started started 23-2. A win on Thursday would tie Painter with Ward Lambert (371) for second place on the Purdue career victories list, and fifth on the Big Ten list. 

Since Feb. 1 of last season, Purdue and Loyola-Chicago are the only teams in the country without a double-digit loss. Purdue's six losses since Feb. 1, of last year have come by 1, 3, 9 (OT), 9 (OT), 2 and 5 points.

Indiana's losses have all been close so far this season as well. They lost by 2 in double-overtime at Syracuse, by 5 at Wisconsin, 3 at Penn State and 9 at Iowa. 

Purdue has scored 90 or more points in nine games this season, the most in country No. 1 Gonzaga is second at 8. Purdue's seven wins by 25 or more points are tied for the third most in the country, and the most in the Big Ten. Gonzaga and Kentucky are tops with 10.