Hoosiers Open As Double-Digit Underdogs For Final Regular-Season Game at Purdue

Indiana snapped a long losing streak to Purdue back in January and now they need to beat their biggest archrivals a second time to try to secure an NCAA bid. It's a lofty task as double-digit underdogs, but it's happened to Purdue twice already. Here's the opening line, plus a complete breakdown on what both teams have done all season.

Tom Brew | Mar 5, 2022

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — We have reached the end of the line for Indiana's basketball team this season, with the last regular-season game of the year on Saturday at Purdue.

It's Game No. 30, and it tips off at 2 p.m. ET at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette. Purdue is 24-6 on the season, and 13-6 in the Big Ten, sitting in third place behind Wisconsin and Illinois. Here's all the pregame information on how to watch the game, with TV info, lineups and bios, and newsy nuggets. CLICK HERE.

The Hoosiers have opened as a 10-point underdog according to the SISportsbook.com gambling website. But don't think that double-digit line is insurmountable. Purdue has last twice this season straight up a a double-digit favorite.

Indiana is 18-11 and 9-10 in the Big Ten, ensuring that this will be the sixth straight season that Indiana has failed to finish better than .500 in the league. They are the ONLY Big Ten team that hasn't had a winning season during that stretch.

Indiana has lost seven games as a favorite, highest in the Big Ten. They have been the underdog in only five games all season, and are 1-4. The only upset they pulled off all year was the home win over Purdue back on Jan. 20 in Bloomington.

Indiana is 15-14 against the point spread this season, but have been much better in Bloomington than on the road. The Hoosiers are 14-4 at home straight up and 12-6 vs. the spread at Assembly Hall. On the road, Indiana is just 3-7 straight up and 2-8 against the spread.

Here are Indiana's results thus far this season, both straight up and against the spread:

Nov. 9 — Beat Eastern Michigan 68-62 as a 24-point favorite (lost)
Nov. 12 — Beat Northern Illinois 85-49 as a 25.5-point favorite (won)
Nov. 17 — Beat St. John's 76-74 as a 6-point favorite (lost)
Nov. 21 — Beat Louisiana 76-44 as an 11.5-point favorite (won)
Nov. 23 — Beat Jackson State 70-35 as a 22.5-point favorite (won)
Nov. 27 — Beat Marshall 90-79 as a 10.5-point favorite (won)
Nov. 30 — Lost at Syracuse 112-110 as a 2.5-point favorite (lost)
Dec. 4 — Beat Nebraska 68-55 as an 11-point favorite (won)
Dec. 8 — Lost at No. 22 Wisconsin 64-59 as a 4.5-point underdog (lost)
Dec. 12 — Beat Merrimack 81-49 as a 20-point favorite (won)
Dec. 18 — Beat Notre Dame 64-56 in Indianapolis as a 4.5-point favorite (won)
Dec. 22 — Beat Northern Kentucky 79-61 as a 17-point favorite (won)
Jan. 2 — Lost at Penn State 61-58 as a 2.5-point favorite (lost)
Jan. 6 — Beat No. 13 Ohio State 67-51 as a 2-point favorite (won)
Jan. 9 — Beat Minnesota 73-60 as an 11-point favorite (won)
Jan. 13 — Lost at Iowa 83-74 as a 4.5-point underdog (lost)
Jan. 17 — Won at Nebraska 78-71 as a 9-point favorite (lost)
Jan. 20 — Beat No. 4 Purdue 68-65 as a 4-point underdog (won)
Jan. 23 — Lost to Michigan 80-62 as a 4-point favorite (lost)
Jan. 26 — Beat Penn State 74-57 as an 8.5-point favorite (won)
Jan. 29 — Won at Maryland 68-55 as a 1.5-point favorite (won)
Feb. 5 — Lost to No. 18 Illinois 74-57 as a 1.5-point favorite (lost)
Feb. 8 — Lost at Northwestern 59-51 as a 2-point favorite (lost)
Feb. 12 — Lost at No. 17 Michigan State 76-61 as a 4-point underdog (lost)
Feb. 15 — Lost to No. 15 Wisconsin 74-69 as a 3.5-point favorite (lost)
Feb. 21 — Lost at No. 22 Ohio State 80-69 in OT as a 7-point underdog (lost)
Feb. 24 — Beat Maryland 74-64 as a 6.5-point favorite (won)
Feb. 27 — Won at Minnesota 74-69 as a 3-point favorite (won)
March 2 — Lost to Rutgers 66-63 as a 5.5-point favorite (lost)

Purdue has been favored in 29 of its 30 games this season, and actually won the one game where they were the underdogs, back on Jan. 17 at Illinois. But they have lost six times as a favorite in Big Ten games, the most in the league along with Indiana and Michigan.

The Boilermakers are 14-12 against the spread, and are 9-7 in games in West Lafayette. In true road games, they are 3-4 against the spread.

The Boilermakers have gone six straight games without covering, losing four and pushing two. The have lost twice straight up as a double-digit favorite this season, losing at Rutgers in December as a 13.5-point favorite and at home against Wisconsin in January as a 12.5 point favorite.

Here's what the Boilermakers have done so far this season:

Nov. 9 — Beat Bellarmine 96-67 as a 24.5-point favorite (won)
Nov. 12 — Beat Indiana State 92-67 as a 22.5-point favorite (won)
Nov. 16 — Beat Wright State 96-52 as a 16-point favorite (won)
Nov. 20 — Beat No. 18 North Carolina 93-84 in Uncasville, Conn. as a 7.5-point favorite (won)
Nov. 21 — Beat No. 5 Villanova 80-74 in Uncasville, Conn. as a 3-point favorite (won)
Nov. 26 — Beat Omaha 97-40 as a 36.5-point favorite (won)
Nov. 30— Beat Florida State 93-65 as a 11.5-point favorite (won)
Dec. 3 — Beat Iowa 77-70 as a 15.5-point favorite (lost)
Dec. 9 — Lost at Rutgers 70-68 as a 13.5-point favorite (lost)
Dec. 12 — Beat N.C. State 82-72 in OT in Brooklyn as a 14.5-point favorite (lost)
Dec. 18 — Beat Butler 77-48 in Indianapolis as a 15.5-point favorite (won)
Dec. 20 — Beat Incarnate Word 79-59 as a 39-point favorite (lost)
Dec. 29 — Beat Nicholls 104-90 as a 28.5-point favorite (lost)
Jan. 3— Lost to No. 22 Wisconsin 74-69 as a 12.5-point favorite (lost)
Jan. 8— Won at Penn State 74-67 as a 9.5-point favorite (lost)
Jan. 14— Beat Nebraska 92-65 as a 20.5-point favorite (won)
Jan. 17— Won at No. 17 Illinois 96-88 in 2-OT as a 1.5-point underdog (won)
Jan. 20 — Lost at Indiana 68-65 as a 3.5-point favorite (lost)
Jan. 23 — Beat Northwestern 80-60 as a 12-point favorite (won)
Jan. 27 — Won at Iowa 83-73 as a 2.5-point favorite (won)
Jan. 30 — Beat No. 16 Ohio State 81-78 as a 9-point favorite (lost)
Feb. 3 — Won at Minnesota 88-73 as an 11-point favorite (won)
Feb. 5 — Beat Michigan 83-76 as a 9.5-point favorite (lost)
Feb. 8 — Beat No. 13 Illinois 84-68 as a 6-point favorite (won)
Feb. 10 — Lost at Michigan 82-58 as a 4-point favorite (lost)
Feb. 13 — Beat Maryland 62-61 as a 16.5-point favorite (lost)
Feb. 16 — Won at Northwestern 70-64 as a 6-point favorite (push)
Feb. 20 — Beat Rutgers 84-72 as a 12-point favorite (push)
Feb. 26 — Lost at Michigan State 68-65 as a 4.5-point favorite (lost)
March 1 — Lost at No. 10 Wisconsin 70-67 as a 2.5-point favorite (lost)

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