Opening Line: Indiana Modest Favorite on Saturday Against Ohio State

Indiana looks to continue its hot streak on Saturday night with a home game against Ohio State on national television. The Hoosiers, looking for their fifth-straight win, are modest favorites. Here's the opening line, and a great history on both teams vs. the number this season.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana is riding high on a four-game winning streak, and the Hoosiers are back at home on Saturday night, hoping to keep the winning streak going against Ohio State.

Oddsmakers think they will. The Hoosiers are a 4.5-point favorite to beat the Buckeyes, according to the SISportsbook.com gambling website. I was a little off on my guess. I was thinking the line might be closer to 7. What's that mean? Ohio State is a desperate team for sure, and they've lost a lot of close games. Indiana needs to be desperate, too.

Indiana (14-6, 5-4 in Big Ten) has been very good all year inside the friendly confines of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. They are 10-1 there, and have an impressive 7-4 record against the spread. The only loss was to Northwestern. Trayce Jackson-Davis has been playing at a high level during the winning streak, averaging 27.3 points and 14.3 rebounds.

Ohio State (11-9, 3-6 in Big Ten) might be the most disappointing team in the league this year, losing six of its past seven conference games. They are 1-4 in Big Ten road games, and have failed to cover in the last four. 

Freshman Brice Sensabaugh is their top scorer, averaging 17.4 points per game. He's led Ohio State in scoring in 11 straight games, something no freshman has ever done in school history.

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: 14-6
• Indiana overall vs. spread: 10-10
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• Indiana home record: 10-1
• Indiana home vs. spread: 7-4
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• Indiana road record: 3-4
• Indiana road vs spread: 2-5
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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: 13-2
• Indiana vs. spread as favorite: 9-6
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• 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::

• 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)

Ohio State vs. the spread

Ohio State is 11-9 on the season and 3-6 in the Big Ten, and they have really hit the skids lately, losing six of seven league games, including bad losses to Minnesota, Nebraska and Maryland. They are 8-12 against the spread this season.

In true Big Ten road games, the Buckeyes are 1-4 straight up and against the spread, with the only win and cover coming in the league road opener at Northwestern. Here's what the disappointing Ohio State Buckeyes has done this season, straight up and against the number:

• Nov. 7 — Beat Robert Morris 91-53 as a 21.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 10—Beat Charleston Southern 82-56 as a 27.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 16— Beat Eastern Illinois 65-43 as a 31.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 21 — Lost to No. 17 San Diego State 68-60 at Maui Invitational in Hawaii as a 4.5-point underdog (lost)
• Nov. 22 — Beat Cincinnati 81-53 in at Maui Invitational in Hawaii as a 3.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 23 — Beat No. 21 Texas Tech 80-73 in at Maui Invitational in Hawaii , as a 2.5-point underdog (won)
• Nov. 30 — Lost at No. 17 Duke 81-72 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge as 5.5-point underdog (lost)
• Dec. 3 —Beat St. Francis (Pa.) 96-59 as a 29.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 8 — Beat Rutgers 67-66 as a 6.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 17 – Lost to North Carolina 89-84 in New York as a 3.5-point underdog (lost)
• Dec. 21— Beat Maine 95-61 as a 24.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 29 — Beat Alabama A&M 90-59 as a 26.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 1 – Won at Northwestern 73-57 as a 2.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 5— Lost to No. 1 Purdue 71-69 as a 1.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 8— Lost at Maryland 80-73 as a 1.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 12 — Lost to Minnesota 70-67 as a 14.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 15 —Lost at Rutgers 68-64 in overtime as an 3.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 18— Lost at Nebraska 63-60 as a 5.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 21— Beat Iowa 93-77 as an 3.5-point favorite (won)
• Jan. 24 — Lost at Illinois 69-60 as a 3.5-point underdog (lost)