Point Spread: Back at Home, Hoosiers Barely Favored Friday Against Minnesota

Indiana has been much better at home than on the road lately, and the Hoosiers are back in Assembly Hall to take on Minnesota on Friday night. The Gophers are 14-1 against the spread this year, so the Hoosiers are just a modest favorite. Here's the latest on the point spread, plus a great history of both teams against the number.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Minnesota has been the worst team in the Big Ten during Ben Johnson's first two seasons at the helm of the Golden Gophers. They only averaged three wins a year the past two league seasons.

Stunningly, though, they have three conference wins already this season. They are 12-3 overall and 3-1 in league play. They take on Indiana on Friday night, and even though they've lost six straight to Indiana, the line is close. Indiana is just a 3.5-point favorite as of Friday night in the 6:30 p.m. ET game, according to the SISportsbook.com gambling website. The over-under is 147.5

Minnesota is No. 1 in the nation is one category — covering the spread. Not expecting much from them this year, they have been great overachievers and are 14-1 against the number. That's amazing. 

Indiana is 11-5 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten. They are a perfect 2-0 at home in league games, beating — and covering easily — in wins over Maryland and Ohio State.

The Hoosiers have owned this series lately, winning eight of the last nine matchups with the Gophers, including six straight victories. Indiana has won the last seven games played in Bloomington.

The Hoosiers won 61-57 a year ago, lead by Trayce Jackson-Davis' record-setting night. He had 25 points, 21 rebounds, and six blocks, becoming the first Hoosier with a 20-20 game since D.J. White in 2008) at Michigan. Jackson-Davis, who now starts for the NBA's Golden State Warriors, also became the first high-major player to post a 25-20-5 game since Connecticut's Hasheem Thabeet did it on Feb. 14, 2009.

Here's what Indiana has done against the spread so far this season.

Indiana by the numbers

• Indiana overall record: 11-5
• Indiana overall vs. spread: 7-9
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• Indiana home record: 8-1
• Indiana home vs. spread: 5-4
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• Indiana road record: 1-2
• Indiana road vs spread: 1-2
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• Indiana neutral court record: 2-2
• Indiana neutral court vs. spread: 1-3
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• Indiana record as favorite: 9-0
• Indiana vs. spread as favorite: 4-5
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• Indiana record as underdog: 2-5
• Indiana vs. spread as underdog: 3-4
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• Indiana over total: 8
• Indiana under total: 8

For every game, we'll give you a complete rundown on what both teams have done against the spread. We'll have final scores, what they did versus the spread and what happened with the over/under totals.

Indiana results vs. spread this season

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

• Nov. 7 — Beat Florida Gulf Coast 69-63 at home as an 11.5-point favorite (did not cover). The score (132) went under the 142.5 over/under total.
• Nov. 12 — Beat Army 72-64 at home as a 25.5-point favorite (did not cover). The score (138) went over the 134.5 total.
• Nov. 16 — Beat Wright State 89-80 at home as a 15.5-point favorite (did not cover). The score (169) went far over the 146.5 total.
• Nov. 19 — Lost to No. 5 Connecticut 77-57 at Madison Square Garden in New York as a 12.5-point underdog (did not cover). The score (134) went under the 146.5 total.
• Nov. 20 — Beat Louisville 74-66 at Madison Square Garden in New York as an 8.5-point favorite at tipoff (did not cover). The score (140) went under the 146.5 total.
• Nov. 26 — Beat Harvard 89-76 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis as an 7.5-point favorite at tipoff (covered). The score (165) went far over the 140.5 total.
• Dec. 1 — Beat Maryland 65-53 at home as a 3.5-point favorite at tipoff (covered). The score (117) went far under the 136.5 total.
• Dec. 5 — Won at Michigan 78-75 as a 6.5-point underdog at tipoff (covered). The score (153) went over the 144.5 total.
• Dec. 9 — Lost to Auburn 104-76 in Atlanta as a 6.5-point underdog at tipoff (did not cover). The score (180) went far over the 147.5 total.
• Dec. 16 — Lost to No. 2 Kansas 75-71 at home as a 7.5-point underdog at tipoff (covered). The score (146) went under the 147.5 total.
• Dec. 19 — Beat Morehead State 69-68 at home as a 12.5-point favorite at tipoff (did not cover). The score (137) went under the 141.5 total.
• Dec. 21 — Beat North Alabama 83-66 at home as a 13.5-point favorite at tipoff (did not cover). The score (149) went over the 147.5 total.
• Dec. 29 — Beat Kennesaw State 100-87 at home as a 12.5-point favorite at tipoff (covered). The score (187) went over the 160.5 total.
• Jan. 3 — Lost at Nebraska 86-70 as a 3.5-point underdog at tipoff (covered). The score (156) went over the 151.5 total.
• Jan. 6 — Beat Ohio State 71-65 as a 1.5-point underdog at tipoff (covered). The score (136) went under the 147.5 total.
• Jan. 9 — Lost at Rutgers 66-57 as a 2.5-point underdog at tipoff (covered). The score (123) went under the 140.5 total.

Minnesota results vs. spread this season

Minnesota is a surprising 12-3overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten, which is saying something considering the Gophers were just 2-17 in the Big Ten last year and 4-16 in the league in Ben Johnson's first year in 2021-22. They have beaten Nebraska, Michigan and Maryland, with their only loss at Ohio State in December. 

The Golden Gophers opened the season ranked No. 112 in the Kenpom.com computer rankings, dead last among Big Ten team. Now they're at No. 77 as of Friday morning. Indiana, by the way, is at No. 94

Minnesota is 14-1 against the spread this season and is 4-0 against the spread in league games. Eight of its 15 games have gone under the total, and their last three Big Ten games all went under.

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

• Nov. 6 — Beat Bethune-Cookman 80-60 at home as a 17.5-point favorite (covered). The score (140) went under the 141.5 over/under total.
• Nov. 10— Beat Texas-San Antonio 102-76 at home as an 11.5-point favorite (covered). The score (178) went over the 146.5 over/under total.
• Nov. 16 — Lost to Missouri 70-68 at home as a 2.5-point underdog (covered). The score (138) went under the 147.5 over/under total.
• Nov. 18— Beat South Carolina-Upstate 67-53 at home as a 12.5-point favorite (covered). The score (120) went under the 142.5 over/under total.
• Nov. 21 — Beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 86-67 at home as a 17.5-point favorite (covered). The score (153) went over the 151.5 over/under total.
• Nov. 26— Lost at San Francisco 76-58 as a 5.5-point underdog (did not cover). The score (134) went under the 134.5 over/under total.
• Nov. 30 — Beat New Orleans 97-64 at home as a 13.5-point favorite (covered). The score (161) went over the 151.5 over/under total.
• Dec. 3— Lost at Ohio State 84-74 as a 13.5-point underdog (covered). The score (158) went over the 142.5 over/under total.
• Dec. 6— Beat Nebraska 76-65 at home as a 2.5-point underdog (covered). The score (141) went under the 149.5 over/under total.
• Dec. 9— Beat Florida Gulf Coast 77-57 at home as an 8.5-point favorite (covered). The score (132) went under the 139.5 over/under total.
• Dec. 12— Beat IUPUI 101-65 at home as a 21.5-point favorite (covered). The score (166) went over the 139.5 over/under total.
• Dec. 21— Beat Ball State 80-63 at home as a 11.5-point favorite (covered). The score (143) went over the 138.5 over/under total.
• Dec. 29— Beat Maine 80-62 at home as a 13.5-point favorite (covered). The score (142) went over the 137.5 over/under total.
• Jan. 4— Won at Michigan 73-71 as a 5.5-point underdog (covered). The score (144) went under the 149.5 over/under total.
• Jan. 7— Beat Maryland 65-62 at home as a 1.5-point favorite (covered). The score (127) went under the 136.5 over/under total.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• HOW TO WATCH: Here's how to watch Friday night's Indiana-Minnesota game, with TV information, the point spread and over/under, the coaching matchup, series history, predicted score, stats, rankings and more. CLICK HERE
• MEET THE OPPONENT: Minnesota is on pace to have by far its best season under coach Ben Johnson, thanks to strong 3-point shooting and a weak schedule. Here's a full breakdown of Indiana's Friday opponent, the Golden Gophers. CLICK HERE
• JACK ANKONY COLUMN: Indiana suffered arguably its worst loss in three seasons under Mike Woodson, a 66-57 defeat at Rutgers which included Xavier Johnson getting ejected, 18 turnovers and 39.75% shooting. The Hoosiers looked like a collection of players, not a team, who lacked a leader. CLICK HERE
• IU-RUTGERS GAME STORY: Almost nothing went right for Indiana in an ugly 66-57 loss to Rutgers on Tuesday night. They missed free throws at an epic clip, had 18 turnovers and gave up 19 offensive rebounds in their second horrible road performance in a row. CLICK HERE
• WHAT WOODSON SAID: It was a rough night in the swamps of New Jersey for Indiana on Tuesday, losing 66-57 to Rutgers. The Hoosiers struggled to make free throws, and once again had too many turnovers and gave up too many offensive rebounds. Here's the full transcript from Mike Woodson's postgame press conference. CLICK HERE