Opening Line: Michigan Favored Over No. 18 Indiana in National TV Showdown in Ann Arbor

Indiana and Michigan are tied for second place in a crowded Big Ten logjam and the two teams get together on Saturday night in Ann Arbor. Because the Hoosiers have struggled on the road so much this season, the Wolverines are favored. Here's the latest line, plus a great breakdown of both teams.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The lengthy storyline about Indiana's struggles on the road the past couple of years has apparently followed them to Michigan. The Hoosiers have a big game with the Wolverines on ESPN on Saturday, and oddsmakers don't expect it to go well.

Michigan is favored by 2.5 points according to the SISportsbook.com gambling website. The over/under is 144. Indiana last lost in last four games in Ann Arbor, not winning here since Feb. 2, 2016. 

To be honest, it hasn't been much better in Bloomington either against Michigan. The Wolverines are 4-0 there too since 2015, and when Indiana beat them in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament last March, it snapped a nine-game overall losing streak to Michigan.

Indiana (17-7 overall and 8-5 in the Big Ten) has a lot to prove on the road Saturday night, because they have not been good in these situations. They have won and covered in just one Big Ten road game all year — Jan. 19 at Illinois — and are 3-5 on the road and 2-6 vs. the spread. The November win at Xavier was the only other win and cover.

Most recently, they lost by double-digits at Maryland, and needed a last-minute rally to beat a horrible undermanned Minnesota team. So as good as Indiana has been at home, they need one of those step-up games on the road against a Michigan team (!4-10, 8-5 in Big Ten) that's also in this four-way tie for second place with Indiana, Rutgers and Northwestern.

The game starts at 6 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN. Here's all the information on how to watch, plus a great preview of the game by HoosiersNow.com reporter Jack Ankony. CLICK HERE

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: 17-7
• Indiana overall vs. spread: 13-11
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• Indiana home record: 13-1
• Indiana home vs. spread: 10-4
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• Indiana road record: 3-5
• Indiana road vs spread: 2-6
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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: 16-2
• Indiana vs. spread as favorite: 12-6
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• Indiana record as underdog: 1-5
• Indiana vs. spread as underdog: 1-5

Indiana vs. the spread

Here's what Indiana has done this season, straight up and against the spread::

• 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)
• Jan. 25 — Won at Minnesota 61-57 as an 11.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 28 — Beat Ohio State 86-70 as a 4.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 31 — Lost at Maryland 66-55 as a 2.5-point underdogs (lost)
• Feb. 4 — Beat No. 1 Purdue 79-74 as a 1-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 7 — Beat No. 24 Rutgers 66-60 as a 4.5-point favorite (won)

Michigan vs. the spread

Michigan is 14-10 on the season and 8-5 in the Big Ten. The Wolverines have been gone 13-11 against the spread this season and have won and covered in three straight games. 

In true Big Ten home games, they are 6-1 overall and 4-3 vs. the spread, with the only loss coming against No. 1 Purdue. Here's what Michigan has done this season, straight up and against the spread:

• Nov. 7 — Beat Purdue Fort Wayne 75-56 as a 15.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 11 —Beat Eastern Michigan 88-83 in Detroit as an 17.5-point favorite (lost)
• No. 16 — Beat Pittsburgh 91-60 in Brooklyn, N,Y.  as an 8.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 17 — Lost to Arizona State 82-67 in Brooklyn, N,Y. as a 7.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 20 — Beat Ohio 70-66 in overtime as a 14.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 23 — Beat Jackson State 78-68 as a 22.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 29 — Lost to Virginia 70-68 in ACC/Big Ten Challenge as 4.5-point underdog (won)
• Dec. 4 — Lost to No. 19 Kentucky 73-69 in London as an 8.5-point underdog (won)
• Dec. 8 — Won at Minnesota 90-75 as a 4.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 17 — Beat Lipscomb 83-75 as an 14.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 21 – Lost to North Carolina 80-76 in Charlotte as a 5.5-point underdog (won)
• Dec. 29 — Lost to Central Michigan 63-61 as an 21.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 1 — Beat Maryland 81-46 as a 1-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 4 — Beat Penn State 79-69 as an 4.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 7 — Lost at Michigan State 59-53 as a 3.5-point underdog (won)
• Jan. 12 — Lost at Iowa 93-84 in overtime as an 4.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 15 – Beat Northwestern 85-78 as a 3.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 19 — Lost at Maryland 64-58 as an 3.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 22— Beat Minnesota 60-56 as a 12.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 26 – Lost to No. 1 Purdue 75-70 as a 4.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 29 — Lost at Penn State 83-61 as an 4.5-point underdog (lost)
• Feb. 2 — Won at Northwestern 68-51 as a 3.5-point underdog (won)
• Feb. 5— Beat Ohio State 77-69 as a 2.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 8 — Beat Nebraska 93-72 as a 11.5-point favorite (won)

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