Point Spread: Hoosiers Double-Digit Favorite in Opener vs. Florida Gulf Coast

Indiana has opened as a double-digit favorite in its season opener against Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday night, but if Monday was any indication, that spread might not mean much. Big Ten teams had a rough night, but the Hoosiers were really good at home a year ago. Here's the latest line, and a history on what Indiana has done vs. the spread.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana starts its 2023-24 college basketball season on Tuesday night as double-digit favorites against Florida Gulf Coast. But if the start of the college season on Monday means anything, that's nothing to feel good about.

The Hoosiers are currently 11.5-point favorites, according to the SISportsbook.com gambling website, and the over/under on the game is 142.5. The line opened at 12.5, so it is going down.

And that's understandable.

On Monday night, there were 10 Big Ten games, and all 10 teams were favored. But Michigan State, a 16.5-point favorite over James Madison, lost 79-76 in overtime. And Rutgers, a 5.5-point favorite over Princeton, lost outright as well. Big Ten teams were just 5-5 against the spread.

The Hoosiers were very good at Assembly Hall a year ago. That NCAA Tournament team was 15-2 in Bloomington and was 10-7 against the spread 

Here's how Indiana did against the point spread in the 2022-23 season:

Indiana by the numbers

• Indiana overall record: 23-12
• Indiana overall vs. spread: 17-18
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• Indiana home record: 15-2
• Indiana home vs. spread: 10-7
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• Indiana road record: 5-7
• Indiana road vs spread: 4-8
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• Indiana neutral court record: 3-3
• Indiana neutral court vs. spread: 3-3
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• Indiana record as favorite: 20-6
• Indiana vs. spread as favorite: 14-12
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• Indiana record as underdog: 3-6
• Indiana vs. spread as underdog: 3-6

Florida Gulf Coast, based in Fort Myers, Fla., has a few people in town who know what it's like to win at Assembly Hall though. Their second-year coach, Pat Chambers, has won there before when he wast the head coach at Penn State. And point guard Isaiah Thompson played three seasons at Purdue, and has a couple of Assembly Hall victories as well. 

Florida Gulf Coast was 17-15 a year ago. They play in the Atlantic Sun Conference, and are picked to finish second in the league this year.

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• TOM BREW COLUMN: Indiana opens its 2023-24 basketball season on Tuesday night, and they head into the season unranked and predicted to finish in the bottom half of the league. That doesn't seem right to me, but maybe flying under the radar early is a good thing. CLICK HERE
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• JAKAI NEWTON INJURY UPDATE: Indiana basketball coach Mike Woodson said Monday that Jakai Newton has increased his activity recently, but using a redshirt season because of his knee injury is a possibility. CLICK HERE