Opening Line: Hoosiers Look for 4th Straight Win as Heavy Favorites at Minnesota

Indiana has won three straight games by double-digits and has turned its season around in a hurry. The Hoosiers are in Minnesota on Wednesday night for a game with the last-place Golden Gophers, and they are a double-digit favorite. Here's the opening line, plus a great breakdown on both teams against the spread all season.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Indiana seems to have righted the ship lately, winning three straight games by double digits. They're back to work on Wednesday night with a road trip to Minnesota to take on the Golden Gophers, who are in last place in the Big Ten.

Minnesota (7-11, 1-7 in the Big Ten) has yet to win a conferene home game. Their only win came at Ohio State. So it's no surprise that the Hoosiers are a 10.5-point favorite in the 9 p.m. ET game, according to the odds at FanDuel. The over/under is 136.5

Indiana has won and covered in all three games during the winning streak, taking care of business against Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan State in an impressive eight-day stretch. The Hoosiers won at Minnesota last year, with point guard Xavier Johnson leading the way with 24 points. 

Johnson will miss Wednesday night's game as he continues to rehab his surgically repaired foot. He's still several weeks away from returning to the floor.

Senior forward Race Thompson is back from a knee injury suffered on Jan. 5 at Iowa. He returned last Sunday for the Michigan State game, and saw spot duty in each half. He should see extended minutes on Wednesday night as the Minnesota native plays his final game as a Hoosier in his hometown.

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: 13-6
• Indiana overall vs. spread: 10-9
• ------
• Indiana home record: 10-1
• Indiana home vs. spread: 7-4
• ---
• Indiana road record: 2-4
• Indiana road vs spread: 2-4
• ---
• Indiana neutral court record: 1-1
• Indiana neutral court vs. spread: 1-1
• ------
• Indiana record as favorite: 12-2
• Indiana vs. spread as favorite: 9-5
• ---
• Indiana record as underdog: 1-4
• Indiana vs. spread as underdog: 1-4

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)
• Jan. 19 — Won at Illinois 80-65 as a 6.5-point underdog (won)
  
• Jan. 22 — Beat Michigan State 82-63 as a 4.5-point favorite (won

Minnesota vs. the spread

Minnesota is 7-11 on the season and 1-7 in the Big Ten, with their only league win coming at Ohio State two weeks ago. The Gophers have lost three straight games, etc.. They are 8-10 against the spread this season, but are 0-4 in home Big Ten games, and have only covered once at home (Nebraska)

In true home games, the Gophers are 5-6 straight up, and just 2-8 against the spread. Here's what Minnesota has done this season, straight up and against the number:

• Nov. 7 — Beat Western Michigan 61-60 as a 9.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 11—Beat St. Francis-Brooklyn 72-54 as an 15.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 14— Lost to DePaul 69-53 as a 2.5-point underdog (lost)
• Nov. 17 — Beat Central Michigan 68-60 as a 10.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 21 — Beat California Baptist 62-61 in overtime in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., as a 1.5-point underdog (won)
• Nov. 23 — Lost to UNLV 71-62 in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., as a 4.5-point underdog (lost)
• Nov. 28 — Lost at Virginia Tech 67-57 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge as 12.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 4 —Lost at No. 5 Purdue 89-70 as a 21.5-point underdog (won)
• Dec. 8 — Lost to Michigan 90-75 as a 4.5-point underdog (lost)
• Dec. 11 – Lost to Mississippi State 69-51 as a 7.5-point underdog (lost)
• Dec. 14— Beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 72-56 as a 17.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 22 — Beat Chicago State 58-55 as a 12.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 28 — Vs. Alcorn State, cancelled, weather
• Jan. 3 – Lost at No. 14 Wisconsin 63-60 as a 12.5-point underdog (won)
• Jan. 7 — Lost to Nebraska 81-79 in overtime as an 3.5-point underdog (won)
• Jan. 12 — Won at Ohio State 70-67 as a 14.5-point underdog (won)
• Jan. 16 —Lost to Illinois 78-60 as an 8.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 19 — Lost to No. 3 Purdue 61-39 as an 13.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 22 — Lost at Michigan 60-56 as a 12.5-point underdog (won)