Point Spread: Latest Line on Indiana vs. UConn, Update on Xavier Johnson Injury Status
NEW YORK — Indiana has its first big test of the college basketball season on Sunday afternoon, taking on No. 5-ranked Connecticut at Madison Square Garden in New York. The nationally televised game — against the defending national champions — is part of the Saatva Empire Classic, a four-team event that also features Texas and Louisville.
Both teams are 3-0, but they come into this outing with vastly different resumes. UConn has looked sharp, winning all three games by an average of 39 points. Indiana, on the other hand, has won its three starts against Florida Gulf Coast, Army and Wright State, but has struggled to pull away from substandard competition in all three games.
Indiana also has health concerns, with starting point guard Xavier Johnson going down with an apparent ankle injury late in Thursday's win over Wright State at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
But there is good news on the front, according to sources.
Johnson traveled with the team to New York on Friday and did work out Saturday during a light practice. He's expected to play on Sunday against UConn. Johnson is averaging 14 points, 2.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game, and is shooting 50 percent (4-for-8) from 3-point range through three games. Indiana will officially update his injury status just prior to game time on Sunday.
They'll need the sixth-year veteran against a Huskies team that is firing on all cylinders so for this season. UConn is a 12.5-point favorite according to the SISportsbook.com gambling website. The over/under is 145.5.
The game starts at 1 p.m. ET. Here's all the information on how to watch, with a great preview of the game as well. CLICK HERE
Here's what Indiana has done against the spread so far this season:
Indiana by the numbers
- Indiana overall record: 3-0
- Indiana overall vs. spread: 0-3
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- Indiana home record: 3-0
- Indiana home vs. spread: 0-3
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- Indiana road record: 0-0
- Indiana road vs spread: 0-0
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- Indiana neutral court record: 0-0
- Indiana neutral court vs. spread: 0-0
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- Indiana record as favorite: 3-0
- Indiana vs. spread as favorite: 0-3
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- Indiana record as underdog: 0-0
- Indiana vs. spread as underdog: 0-0
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- Indiana over total: 2
- Indiana under total: 1
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). Score went under the 142.5 total.
- Nov. 12 — Beat Army 72-64 at home as a 25.5-point favorite (did not cover). Score went over the 134.5 total.
- Nov. 16 — Beat Wright State 89-80 at home as a 15.5-point favorite (did not cover). Score went far over the 146.5 total.
Connecticut results vs. spread this season
Here's what Connecticut has done this season, straight up and against the spread:
- Nov. 6 — Beat Northern Arizona 95-52 at home as an 26.5-point favorite (covered). Score went over the 142.5 total.
- Nov. 11 — Beat Stonehill 107-67 at home as a 34.5-point favorite (covered). Score went far over the 140.5 total.
- Nov. 14 — Beat Mississippi Valley State 87-53 at home as a 44.5-point favorite, the largest point spread of the college basketball season so far. (did not cover). Score went under the 147.5 total.
The Huskies, who were No. 4 in the KenPom.com preseason rankings, are 2-1 vs. the spread. Their three opponents weren't highly regarded, and are just 3-10 so far through Saturday night's games.
Mississippi Valley, for instance, opened the season dead last in the Kenpom rankings at No. 362. Stonehill was No. 346 and Northern Arizona was No. 213. As on Sunday morning, Mississippi Valley is still last at No. 362, and Stonehill has dropped to 351. Northern Arizona is at No. 242.
Some troubling news for Indiana, though. Stonehill, a small school in Easton, Mass., has just one win, but it came in a 57-44 home victory over Army in front of 460 fans. Army shot just 5-for-31 from 3-point range in that game, just 16.1 percent. The Black Knights made 13 threes against Indiana and were in the game right up until the closing minutes.
UConn is still No. 4 in the Kenpom rankings. Indiana, despite winning three times, has fallen from No. 49 in the preseason to No. 73 on Sunday.
Freshman Stephon Castle, a 5-star recruit for UConn who was a high school teammates of Indiana's Jakai Newton, will miss the game as well. He's out with a knee injury.
Related stories on Indiana-UConn
- HOW TO WATCH: Indiana continues the 2023-24 season on Sunday against the Connecticut Huskies in the Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden. Here's how to watch, with game time and TV information, the coaching matchup, series history, stats, rankings and more. CLICK HERE
- WARE VS. CLINGAN: Connecticut’s Donovan Clingan and Indiana’s Kel’el Ware are considered two of the top NBA prospects among collegiate centers. They face each other Sunday in the Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden. CLICK HERE
- EMPIRE CLASSIC PREVIEW: The 2023 Empire Classic takes place at Madison Square Garden on Sunday and Monday and features UConn, Indiana, Texas and Louisville. Here's the full event schedule, plus a breakdown and analysis of each team. CLICK HERE