No. 20 Indiana Hoosiers at Purdue Boilermakers
Saturday, 2/4/12, 7:00 PM EST, TV: Big Ten Network
Opening Point Spread: Purdue -3.5
Current Betting Line: Purdue -3.5
Opening Total: 143
Current Total: 142
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Indiana has alternated wins and losses over its last five games, coming in off a 68-56 loss to the Michigan Wolverines as four-point road underdogs. “At the start of the game, we allowed a very good team to play like a great team,” commented Hoosiers head coach Tom Crean. “You can’t come out and not have a physical presence.” The Hoosiers have lost all five games of this in-state rivalry by an average of 12.2 points per game under his direction. Indiana is 3-12 ATS in February the last two-plus seasons.
The Hoosiers’ five-game win improvement is the highest among major conference programs, shooting 49.9 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from beyond the arc. Indiana continues to be led offensively by the play of forward Cody Zeller, who has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week five times this season. Indiana is 2-31 on the road during conference action under Crean, with both wins coming at Penn State.
Purdue is coming off a dramatic 58-56 win over the Northwestern Wildcats as one-point road underdogs, going “under” the total for the first time in six games. The Boilermakers have split their last six games, while posting a 2-4 ATS mark in those contests. Taking care of the basketball is one of the programs biggest strengths, ranking second nationally in turning the ball over just 9.4 times per game. Taking advantage of opportunities at the charity stripe is also a strength in recent games, hitting 72.7 percent of its shots from the line over the past four contests. Purdue is 3-6 ATS versus conference opponents this season.
The Boilermakers’ bench has outscored opponents reserves in 16 of 22 games this season, with junior Kelsey Barlow leading the way in averaging 8.0 points per game. Senior forward Robbie Hummel continues to be the leader offensively, averaging a team-high 15.2 points per game. Purdue ranks tied for 10th nationally in most wins since the start of the 2008-09 season. Head coach Matt Painter is hoping his team can reach the 70-point plateau in this conference affair, leading the program to a 93-11 record, including an 11-0 mark this season when scoring 70 or more points.
Bettors will likely back the Boilermakers due to their 6-4 ATS mark at home, while the Hoosiers are 4-13 ATS versus conference foes.
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