clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

12/2 Big Ten Preview: Indiana vs SIU Edwardsville

Preview the Big Ten’s only matchup for Friday, as Indiana takes on SIU Edwardsville.

NCAA Basketball: North Carolina at Indiana Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The Big Ten-ACC Challenge wrapped up earlier this week and although it’s the highlight of the non-conference season for many Big Ten fans, things will begin moving forward from the event on Friday night for the conference. There’s only one game for fans to enjoy, but it should offer Hoosier fans the chance to bask in the afterglow of the program’s win over North Carolina earlier this week.

You can preview all the games below. All spreads are based on KenPom.

Big Ten Game of the Day:

-SIU Edwardsville at Indiana

  • Time/TV: 7:00PM ET - ESPN3
  • KenPom Spread: Indiana (-15)

Through six games, this season has been a roller coaster of emotion for Hoosier fans. Indiana has knocked off two elite teams in Kansas and North Carolina, played some filler games at home, and suffered a crushing road loss to an in-state Fort Wayne team.

But albeit those emotions, Indiana sits pretty well coming into Friday’s matchup. The Hoosiers scored a huge win over North Carolina earlier this week and have emerged (to many) as the Big Ten’s frontrunner. Indiana will now have a chance to start building on that success on Friday evening against SIU Edwardsville.

While SIU Edwardsville (4-3) isn’t a great team, it does have a few players that could cause trouble for Indiana. The primary concern should be true freshman Christian Ellis, who has scored double-digits in five of SIU Edwardsville’s seven games this season. He should pose quite a challenge for James Blackmon, Robert Johnson, and Josh Newkirk.

Additionally, SIU Edwardsville has been pretty efficient at getting to the free throw line this season. Avoiding fouls should be a key focus for the Indiana big men, especially with OG Anunoby sidelined for the near future.

So, while Friday’s game between Indiana and SIU Edwardsville won’t draw much national attention, it’s still an important game for the Hoosiers to turn the page on the Big Ten-ACC Challenge and begin moving forward.

  • Pick Against The Spread: Indiana

***

Thomas’ Season Record vs KenPom’s Spread: 25-25-2