Opening Line: Iowa Slight Favorite Over Indiana in Thursday's Showdown

Indiana resumes its Big Ten basketball season on Thursday night at Iowa and, somewhat surprisingly, the injury-riddled Hoosiers are slight underdogs against the Hawkeyes. Here's the latest on the point spread, plus a great history of both teams vs. the number this season.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — It's been a long 13 days between games for Indiana, and the Hoosiers are hoping the rest has helped some ''banged-up'' players get well. The Big Ten grind resumes on Thursday night against the struggling Iowa Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and oddsmakers are leaning toward an Iowa victory.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Hawkeyes are a 1.5-point favorite over the Hoosiers, according to odds courtesy of FanDuel. The over/under is 151.5.

• *** 8 p.m. ET UPDATE: The line has stayed the same, with Iowa still favored by 1.5. There is good news for Indiana, though. Senior star Trayce Jackson-Davis is starting, back after missing two games with a back injury. Here's the story. CLICK HERE

Indiana played its last two December nonconference games without star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, who's been dealing with a back issue. He has been back to practice this week and is expected to start Thursday night. The nationally televised game starts at 9 p.m. ET. Here's how to watch the game, with all TV information plus our preview of the game. CLICK HERE 

Freshman point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino also has dealt with a back injury and missed three games earlier in December because of it. He played the last three games and seems fine, which is critical with fellow guard Xavier Johnson out for at least a month after foot surgery.

That uncertainty probably has a lot to do with the point spread. Indiana is 0-2 as an underdog this season, losing and not covering to current No. 3 Kansas and No. 5 Arizona. They are 1-2 in true road games, winning and covering at Xavier, who's currently ranked No. 18 in the Associated Press top-25 poll, and losing at Kansas and Rutgers. 

Here's what Indiana has done so far this season vs. the numbers:

Indiana by the numbers

• Indiana overall record: 10-3
• Indiana overall vs. spread: 7-6
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• Indiana home record: 8-0
• Indiana home vs. spread: 5-3
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• Indiana road record: 1-2
• Indiana road vs spread: 1-2
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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: 10-1
• Indiana vs. spread as favorite: 7-4
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• Indiana record as underdog: 0-2
• Indiana vs. spread as underdog: 0-2

Indiana vs. the spread

Here's what Indiana has done this season, straight up and against the spread based on the odds at 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)

Iowa vs. the spread

Iowa is 8-6 overall and the Hawkeyes are 5-2 in true home games, although they've lost the last two. They are 7-7 vs. the spread all season, and they have failed to cover in five straight games.

Included in that is a home loss to Eastern Illinois on Dec. 21 as a 31.5-point favorite, the worst defeat ever since point-spread data started being kept in the mid-1980s. Eastern Illinois is coached by former Hoosier Marty Simmons. Here's what the Hawkeyes have done this season, including what they've done against the spread:

• Nov. 7 — Beat Bethune-Cookman 89-58 as a 28.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 11 —Beat North Carolina A&T 112-71 as a 24.5-point underdog (won)
• Nov. 16 — Won at Seton Hall 83-67 as a 1-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 21 — Beat Omaha 100-64 as an 28.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 25 — Beat Clemson 74-71 in Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Fla., as an 8.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 26 — Lost to TCU 79-66 in Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Fla., as an 6.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 29 — Beat Georgia Tech 81-65 in Big Ten/ACC Challenge as a 14.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 6— Lost to No. 15 Duke 74-62 in New York as a 1-point underdog (lost)
• Dec. 8 — Beat No. 20 Iowa State 75-56 as a 3.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 11 — Lost to Wisconsin 78-75 in overtime a 3.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 17 — Beat Southwest Missouri State 106-75 a 22.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 21 — Lost to Eastern Illinois 92-83 as a 31.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 29— Lost at Nebraska 66-50 as an 3.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 1 — Lost at Penn State 83-79 as a 2-point underdog (lost)

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• HOW TO WATCH INDIANA-IOWA: Indiana resumes play after a long break with a road game against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Thursday. Here's how to watch, with game time and TV information, three leading storylines, the latest on the point spread, the coaching matchup, series history and more. CLICK HERE
• XAVIER JOHNSON INJURY UPDATE: Indiana point guard Xavier Johnson recently underwent foot surgery after suffering an injury at Kansas on Dec. 17. Johnson's return remains unclear, but coach Mike Woodson is helping him stay positive during the process. CLICK HERE
• NEW MEXICO LOSS KEEPS 1975-76 HOOSIERS RECORD ALIVE: No. 21 New Mexico was the last undefeated college basketball team during the 2022-23 season, but the Lobos suffered a 71-67 loss at Fresno State on Tuesday. With this loss, the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers, coached by Bob Knight, hold onto their title as college basketball's most recent undefeated national champions. CLICK HERE
• LEAL CHRISTMAS VIDEO: Indiana basketball's Anthony Leal paid off his sister Lauren's student loans as a Christmas present this year. The video went viral, and the siblings were featured CBS Evening News on Monday. "He'll be blessed for it one day," Indiana coach Mike Woodson said. CLICK HERE
• REST VS. RUST: Indiana hasn't played a game since Dec. 23 and the Hoosiers are looking forward to getting back in action on Thursday night in Iowa City. The rest has helped some injured Hoosiers, but how much will rust come into play as the Big Ten season resumes? CLICK HERE
• BATES TO START: Trying to end repeated slow starts, Indiana coach Mike Woodson said Monday night that he's going to put sophomore guard Tamar Bates into the starting lineup on Thursday when the Hoosiers resume Big Ten play at Iowa. Bates has had three games of 19 or more points off the bench already this season. CLICK HERE