Opening Line: Surprising Point Spread on Struggling Indiana Sunday vs. Northwestern

Indiana is back at home for the first time in 16 days on Sunday, taking on the Northwestern Wildcats in a Big Ten game at Assembly Hall. Here is the opening line on the game, with a great history on how both teams have fared against the point spread this season.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana lost a second starter on Thursday night when Race Thompson went out of the loss at Iowa with a knee injury. He's ''out indefinitely'' according to the school, and he joins starting point guard Xavier Johnson, who had foot surgery in December, on the sidelines.

Indiana has a quick turnaround, with a Noon ET game on Sunday at home against a Northwestern team that's been a pleasant surprise this year, already winning Big Ten games against Michigan State and Illinois. Indiana coach Mike Woodson said he was concerned with how star Trayce Jackson-Davis will bounce back from playing 38-plus minutes Thursday while dealing with a troubling back injry.

But somewhat surprisingly, despite all those injury issues, the Hoosiers are something of a big favorite, opening as 7.5-point favorites according to the SISportsbook.com gambling website. The over/under is 133.5.  

We're going to keep an eye on this line all morning, too, because if I had to guess, it's going to go down. Banged-up Indiana also has failed to cover in five straight games, and six of the past seven. 

They are so much better at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall though, going 8-0 and 5-3 against the spread. They have failed to cover in those last two home games, though. 

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

Indiana by the numbers

• Indiana overall record: 10-4
• Indiana overall vs. spread: 7-7
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• Indiana home record: 8-0
• Indiana home vs. spread: 5-3
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• Indiana road record: 1-3
• Indiana road vs spread: 1-3
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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::

• 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) 

Northwestern guard Chase Audige talks to Miller Kopp during a game at Assembly Hall in December of 2020. Kopp transferred to Indiana last year and will play against his former team for the third time on Sunday. (Mark Lebryk/USA TODAY Sports)

Northwestern vs. the spread

Northwestern is 11-3 this season and 2-1 in the Big Ten. Guard Chase Audige has led them in scoring nine times in 14 games, including the past five. On the road, the Wildcats are 2-0 in true road games, covering both times. They have been the underdog in all three Big Ten games, but have won two of them straight up anyway.

 Here are all of their results so far, including how they've fared against the spread:

• Nov. 7 — Beat Chicago State 85-54 as a 23.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 11 — Beat Northern Illinois 63-46 as a 16.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 15 — Won at Georgetown 75-63 in the Gavitt Games as a 1.5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 18 — Beat Purdue Fort Wayne 60-52 as a 11.5-point favorite (lost)
• Nov. 22 — Beat Liberty 66-52 in the Cancun Challenge in Cancun, Mexico as a 3..5-point favorite (won)
• Nov. 23 — Lost to No. 13 Auburn 43-42 in the Cancun Challenge in Cancun, Mexicoas a 7.5-point underdog (won)
• Nov. 28 — Lost to Pittsburgh 87-58 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge as a 6.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 4 — Won at No. 20 Michigan State 70-63 as a 5.5-point underdog (won)
• Dec. 11 — Beat Prairie View A&M 61-51 as a 17.5-point favorite (lost)
• Dec. 17 — Beat DePaul 83-45 as an 8.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 20 — Beat Illinois-Chicago 92-54 as a 14.5-point favorite (won)
• Dec. 29 — Beat Brown 63-58 as a 13.5-point favorite (lost)
• Jan. 1 — Lost to Ohio State 73-57 as a 2.5-point underdog (lost)
• Jan. 4 —Beat Illinois 73-60 as a 3.5-point underdog (lost) 

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• HOW TO WATCH: Indiana takes on the Northwestern Wildcats on Sunday at Assembly Hall in Bloomington. 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
• THOMPSON OUT: Indiana senior forward Race Thompson is out indefinitely with a right leg injury he suffered during the Hoosiers 91-89 loss at Iowa on Thursday. CLICK HERE 
• GAME STORY: Indiana let a big lead slip away and lost to Iowa 91-89 Thursday night despite a heroic 30-point, 9-rebound night from Trayce Jackson-Davis. It was a painful loss too, because senior forward Race Thompson left with a serious knee injury. CLICK HERE
• WHAT WOODSON SAID: Indiana coach Mike Woodson met with the media on Thursday night after the Hoosiers blew a 21-point lead and lost to Iowa, 91-89. He was upset with the officiating, and also Iowa coach Fran McCaffery. Here's the full video, plus the transcript. CLICK HERE
• PHOTO GALLERY: The Indiana Hoosiers traveled to Iowa City to restart their Big Ten season, but lost 91-89 to the Iowa Hawkeyes. The photographers had a great night. Here are 15 images from the game. CLICK HERE