-Betting-Odds.jpg)
The Big Ten isn’t getting a lot of attention this season, and that’s partly because two of the premier programs in the conference have struggled. Basketball in the state of Indiana isn’t taken lightly and the natives are not happy with the way the Indiana Hoosiers have played. A preseason pick to be among the conference leaders, the Hoosiers are floundering. It hasn’t been much better for the Michigan Wolverines, but at least they weren’t picked to finish at the top of the standings.
This war on the floor will go down Sunday, February 12, 2017, at 1 p.m. ET at Assembly Hall. The game will be televised live on CBS. We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Sunday schedule.
Odds at BookMaker.eu
Michigan will get some consideration from the committee at tournament time just because they are Michigan and because they play in the Big Ten. And the Wolverines really need to finish strong in order to turn that consideration into an actual at-large bid. Michigan enters Sunday’s clash off an impressive victory at home over rival Michigan State where they easily covered and stopped a two-game losing streak. A home loss to Ohio State in the previous game may have been the low-point of their season. UM will need to win on the road and that’s something it hasn’t done yet in conference play. The Wolverines are 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS in those four.
Those non-conference wins over Kansas and North Carolina were part of an early season surge that had the Hoosiers near the top of the national rankings. But once Big Ten play started, they took a major step backward and the misery was compounded with a home loss to Purdue on Thursday, giving Indy four losses in its last five games. During their run to the Big Ten title last season, the Hoosiers were perfect at home. They’ve been far from it this season. The loss to Purdue was their third, putting them at 13-3 SU and 9-5 ATS at Assembly Hall.
Injury Report
The Hoosiers are reeling following the loss of forward OG Anunoby, who is done for the year after injuring his knee a few weeks back. He is considered one of the more versatile players in the country and saw his draft stock rise after putting together a big season. He had impressive games against Kansas and North Carolina, helping his club to a pair of big early season wins, and ranks as the team’s fourth leading scorer with 11.1 points per game.
But that doesn’t tell the whole story. Anunoby has been the Hoosier’s top defender in the paint and has developed into big time shot blocker. At 6-8 he defends the interior, but also has the athleticism to defend on the perimeter if needed. Indy will lean on a more guard oriented lineup and needs James Blackmon and Thomas Bryant to pick up the slack. Since Anunoby went down, the Hoosiers are 2-4 SU and 3-3 ATS.
Last Meeting
Indiana’s recent slide began with a 90-60 loss at Michigan in a game where the Hoosiers were a 4-point road dog. It wasn’t just that the Hoosiers lost, it’s that they lost by 30 points and have yet to fully recover. But on that night Michigan could have beaten anyone. The Wolverines shot a blistering 63 percent from the field and made 11 of 20 from beyond the arc. It was such a display that the Hoosiers, who shot lights out in the first half, trailed by 15 points at the break. But Indy cooled off in the second half while UM continued to scorch the nets.
The Hoosiers didn’t help their cause with 15 turnovers and felt the loss of Anunoby. The good thing about this matchup is that the Hoosiers get a chance on their home floor to avenge that earlier loss, but they must do a better job defensively. Valuing the basketball would also be a big plus. And while those earlier wins over Kansas and UNC were nice, Indy may let them go to waste.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
Michigan already has a big win over Indiana and the Hoosiers are reeling right now, trying to figure out how to navigate the remainder of the year without their top NBA prospect. The recent losses haven’t been too bad, other than the 30-point margin against UM a few weeks back. The Hoosiers played well in close losses to Wisconsin and Purdue.
Assembly Hall has been the best home court advantage in the Big Ten and I expect the Hoosiers to shake off the recent defeats and use that earlier loss as motivation as they try and get their house in order ahead of the conference tournament. They need wins to solidify an at-large NCAA Tournament bid, and no better place to start than against the team that just put a whoopin on you a few weeks back.
College Basketball Odds: Indiana 72, Michigan 68
BookMaker.eu offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker.eu!
