Opening Line: Hoosiers Hefty Underdog in Road Finale at Purdue

Indiana has lost seven straight games to Purdue at Mackey Arena, not winning since 2013. Purdue, who's spent a lot of time at No. 1 this season, is a big favorite in Saturday's matchup, too. Here's the latest on the point spread, with a great breakdown of the rivalry and how they've fared vs. the number this season.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — For as great as the Indiana-Purdue basketball rivalry is, it's actually kind of rare when they get together with both ranked in the top-20. But that happens Saturday night when the No. 17 Hoosiers and No. 5 Boilermakers tangle at Mackey Arena.

Saturday's meeting marks the first time that Indiana and Purdue are ranked in the top 20 in a Mackey Arena contest since Jan. 18, 1994, and it's only the fifth time ever. Purdue is 24-4, and Indiana is 19-9 this season. The combined 43 wins are the most ever heading into a regular-season rivalry game.

Purdue has spent a lot of time at No. 1 this season, and they've been very good at home, especially lately, winning their last four Big Ten home games by an average of 19 points.

Oddsmakers expect a big victory on Saturday, as well. According to the Fanduel gambling website, Purdue is a 7.5-point favorite. The over-under is 138.5.

The two teams met in Bloomington on Feb. 4 and Indiana won 79-74 as a 1-point favorite. The Hoosiers haven't won in West Lafayette since 2013, losing seven straight games by an average of 11.6 points per game. Indiana lost there a year ago on 69-67 on March 5 as a 10-point underdog. Every other loss in that streak has been by eight points or more.

Here's the ugly reminder of this seven-game losing streak:

• Feb. 15, 2014 — Purdue 82, Indiana 64
• Jan. 28, 2015 — Purdue 83, Indiana 67
• Feb. 28, 2017 — Purdue 86, Indiana 75
• Jan. 19, 2019 — Purdue 70, Indiana 55
• Feb. 27, 2020 — Purdue 57, Indiana 49
• March 6, 2021 — Purdue 67, Indiana 58
• March 5, 2022 — Purdue 69, Indiana 67

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: 19-9
• Indiana overall vs. spread: 14-14
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• Indiana home record: 14-1
• Indiana home vs. spread: 10-5
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• Indiana road record: 4-7
• Indiana road vs spread: 3-8
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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: 17-3
• Indiana vs. spread as favorite: 12-8
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• Indiana record as underdog: 2-6
• Indiana vs. spread as underdog: 2-6

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)
• Feb. 11 — Won at Michigan 62-61 as a 2.5-point underdog (won)
• Feb. 15 — Lost at Northwestern 64-62 as a 1.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 18 — Beat Illinois 71-68 as a 6.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 21 — Lost at Michigan State 80-65 as a 3.5-point underdog (lost)

Purdue vs. the spread

Purdue is 24-4 on the season and 13-4 in the Big Ten, but they have not been a good team to wager on, going just 12-16 against the spread. The Boilermakers covered in their three big games in Portland back in December, including winning twice as an underdog to Gonzaga and Duke.

After that, the Boilermakers failed to cover in six straight games. In Big Ten games since the start of the new year, they are 8-6 against the spread. They were slight underdogs at Indiana and Maryland, and lost both games outright. 

In true Big Ten home games. they are 7-1 so far but just 4-4 vs. the spread. They have won and covered in their last three home games, though, winning by an average of 19 points.

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

• Nov. 8 — Beat Milwaukee 84-53 as a 25.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 11 —Beat Austin Peay 63-44 as an 24.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 15 — Beat Marquette 75-70 as a 8.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 24 — Beat West Virginia 80-68 in Portland Ore. as a 1.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 25 — Beat No. 6 Gonzaga 84-66 in Portland, Ore. as a 6.5-point underdog (won)
• Nov. 27 — Beat No. 8 Duke 75-56 in Portland, Ore. as a 1.5-point underdog (won)
• Nov. 30 — Won at Florida State 79-69 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge as 15.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 4 — Beat Minnesota 89-70 as a 20.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 7 — Beat Hofstra 85-66 as a 23.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 10 — Won at Nebraska 65-62 in overtime as an 7.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 17 – Beat Davidson 69-61 in Indianapolis as a 14.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 21 — Beat New Orleans 74-53 as an 31.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 29 — Beat Florida A&M 82-49 as a 37,.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 2 — Lost to Rutgers 65-64 as an 8.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 5 — Won at No. 24 Ohio State 71-69 as a 2.5-point underdog (won)
• Jan. 8 — Won at Penn State 76-63 in Philadelphia but still considered a home game as an 5.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 13 – Beat Nebraska 73-55 as a 15.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 16 — Won at Michigan State 64-63 as an 3.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 19— Won at Minnesota 61-39 as a 12.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 22 – Beat Maryland 58-55 as a 9.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 26 — Won at Michigan 75-70 as an 5.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 29— Beat Michigan State 77-61 as an 8.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 1— Beat Penn State 80-60 as a 9.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 4 — Lost at No. 21 Indiana 79-74 as a 1-point underdog (lost)
• Feb. 9 — Beat Iowa 87-73 as a 7.5-point favorite (won)
• Feb. 12 — Lost at Northwestern 64-58 as a 4.5-point favorite (lost)
• Feb. 16 — Lost at Maryland 68-54 as a 1.5-point underdog (lost)
• Feb. 19 — Beat Ohio State 82-55 as a 12.5-point favorite (won)