Opening Line: Illinois Hefty Favorite Over Indiana in Thursday Night Showdown

Indiana has won only one true road game all season, and they've lost four straight since, and failed to cover in all of them. The Hoosiers are back on the road Thursday night at Illinois, a team that's won and covered four straight, and are big underdogs, the largest line of the year. Here's the point spread, plus good history on both teams.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Indiana looked great in blowing out Wisconsin on Saturday, and snapping their three-game losing streak was a big deal. But the Hoosiers have not been good on the road for years now, and they're back on the road Thursday at Illinois.

Brad Underwood's team is on a roll, winning four straight games after starting its big Ten season 0-3. They're looking good, and the oddsmakers think they should be able to beat Indiana handily at the State Farm Center. Illinois is a 6.5-point favorite according to the odds courtesy of Fanduel. 

The Hoosiers haven't been this big of an underdog all season. The previous high was 5.5 points at Kansas. Indiana is 1-4 in true road games this season, and 1-4 vs. the spread. Their only win was at Xavier, and they've lost four straight since, at Rutgers, Kansas, Iowa and Penn State.

Does that losing trend continue away from home? Here is a thorough breakdown on what Indiana has done all season, both straight up and against the spread.

Indiana by the numbers

• Indiana overall record: 11-6
• Indiana overall vs. spread: 8-9
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• Indiana home record: 9-1
• Indiana home vs. spread: 6-4
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• Indiana road record: 1-4
• Indiana road vs spread: 1-4
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• Indiana neutral court record: 1-1
• Indiana neutral court vs. spread: 1-1
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• Indiana record as favorite: 11-2
• Indiana vs. spread as favorite: 8-5
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• Indiana record as underdog: 0-3
• Indiana vs. spread as underdog: 0-3

Indiana vs. the spread

Here's what Indiana has done this season, straight up and against the spread with the odds courtesy of FanDuel:

• Nov. 7 — Beat Morehead State 88-53 as a 24.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 10 — Beat Bethune-Cookman 101-49 as a 32.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 18 — Won at Xavier 81-79 as a 1.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 20 — Beat Miami of Ohio 86-56 as a 27.5-point favorite in Indianapolis (won)
• Nov. 23 — Beat Little Rock 86-67 as a 29..5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 25 — Beat Jackson State 90-51 as a 28.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 30 — Beat No. 18 North Carolina 77-65 as a 4.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 3 — Lost at Rutgers 63-48 as a 3-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 7 — Beat Nebraska 81-55 as a 12.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 10 — Lost to No. 10 Arizona 89-75 in Las Vegas as a 1.5-point underdog (lost)
• Dec. 17 — Lost at No. 8 Kansas 84-62 as a 5.5-point underdog (lost)
• Dec. 20 — Beat Elon 96-72 as a 28.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 23 — Beat Kennesaw State 69-55 as a 17.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 5 — Lost at Iowa 91-89 as a 1.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 8 — Lost to Northwestern 84-83 as a 7.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 11 — Lost at Penn State 85-66 as a 2.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 14 — Beat No. 18 Wisconsin 63-45 as a 4-point favorite (won)

Illinois vs. the spread

Illinois is 13-5 on the season and 4-3 in the Big Ten, and the Illini have won four straight games, covering in each win as well. They are 11-7 against the spread this season, but they also have lost straight up as a favorite four times already, which says a lot about their inconsistency.

In true home games, the Illini are 9-1 straight up, and 7-3 against the spread. Here's what Indiana has done this season, straight up and against the number:

• Nov. 7 — Beat Eastern Illinois 87-57 as a 32.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 11—Beat Kansas City 86-48 as an 26.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 14— Beat Monmouth 103-65 as a 27.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 18 — Beat No. 8 UCLA 79-70 in Las Vegas as a 3.5-point underdog (won)
• Nov. 20 — Lost to No. 16 Virginia 70-61 in Las Vegas as a 2.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 25 — Beat Lindenwood 92-59 as a 32.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 29 — Beat Syracuse 73-44 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge as 12.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 2 —Lost at No. 23 Maryland 71-66 as a 1.5-point underdog (lost)
• Dec. 6 — Beat No. 13 Texas 85-78 in overtime in New York as a 3.5-point underdog (won)
• Dec. 10 – Lost to Penn State 74-59 as an 10.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 17 — Beat Alabama A&M 68-47 as an 22.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 22 — Lost to Missouri 93-71 in St. Louis as an 5.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 29 — Beat Bethune-Cookman 85-52 as a 30.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 4 – Lost at Northwestern 73-60 as a 3.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 7 — Beat Wisconsin 79-69 as an 7.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 10 — Won at Nebraska 76-50 as a 3.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 13 — Beat Michigan State 75-66 as an 6.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 16 — Won at Minnesota 78-60 as an 8.5-point favorite (won)