- The Indiana Hoosiers open their Big Ten schedule against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Monday night in Bloomington
- The Gophers lost the Big Ten opener to Michigan State last Wednesday (90-72 home)
- See the Minnesota vs Indiana predictions, odds, and player props for Dec. 9
A quiet Monday in college basketball is headlined by the Indiana Hoosiers (7-2, 6-0 home, 5-4 ATS) kicking off their conference schedule with a home game against the struggling Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-4, 0-0 away, 1-7-2 ATS) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall at 6:30 pm ET. The Minnesota vs Indiana odds favor the home-town Hoosiers by as many as 10.5.
Minnesota vs Indiana Predictions
- Indiana -9.5 (-115) at BetMGM Odds as of Dec. 9 at BetMGM. New users can claim the BetMGM promo code to bet on tonight’s college basketball slate and take advantage of the BetMGM rewards program.
The Hoosiers are already 6-0 on their home court and every one of those six wins has come by at least 11 points. They haven’t played the most difficult home slate so far, but they do own lopsided wins over South Carolina (87-71), which ranks 68th at KenPom, and Providence (89-73), which ranks 81st. Both rate significantly better than Minnesota (111th) at this early stage of the season.
It’s hard to find a single team in the nation that’s had a more disappointing start to the year than the Gophers. Returning leading scorer and rebounder Dawson Garcia (17.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.6 APG last season) from a team that went 19-15 overall and even won a game in the NIT, better things were expected for Minnesota in Ben Johnson’s fourth season at the helm. They finished last year rated 78th at KenPom and one spot higher at Torvik, and entered this season 66th at the former.
They managed five wins in their first six games (all at home) with lone loss against #69 North Texas (54-51) but they have since lost three of their last four: 68-66 vs Wichita State (neutral), 57-51 vs Wake Forest (neutral), an 90-72 vs Michigan State (home). Their only win in that span was over #292 Bethune Cookman.
The Gophers play slowly (362nd our 364 DI teams in tempo) and can’t shoot the three (29.7%, 294th in the nation), which has led to them being held under 60 points in four games already this season.
No one is going to mistake Indiana for a national-championship contender after their first nine games, which include ugly losses to Gonzaga (89-73 neutral) and Louisville (89-61 neutral) but you also can’t argue with what the Hoosiers have done at home so far.
Returnees Malik Reneau (15.4 PPG, 6.3 RPG) and Mackenzie Mgbako (15.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG), plus highly-coveted transfer center Oumar Ballo (12.7 PPG, 9.3 RPG) represent one of the most-formidable front lines in the nation. And the Hoosiers have managed to navigate their early home schedule flawlessly without that trio even rebounding the ball all that well. IU sits 137th in offensive-rebound percentage and 187th at the defensive end.
MIN vs IND Player Props
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dawson Garcia (MIN) | 18.5 (Ov -105 | Un -125) | 6.5 (Ov -116 | Un -122) | OFF |
| Lu’Cye Patterson (MIN) | 10.5 (Ov -125 | Un -105) | OFF | 3.5 (Ov +110 | Un -154) |
| Mackenzie Mgbako (IND) | 13.5 (Ov -110 | Un -120) | 4.5 (Ov -108 | Un -130) | OFF |
| Malik Reneau (IND) | 15.5 (Ov -115 | Un -115) | 6.5 (Ov +102 | Un -142) | OFF |
| Myles Rice (IND) | 11.5 (Ov -125 | Un -105) | OFF | OFF |
| Oumar Ballo (IND) | 12.5 (Ov -120 | Un -110) | 9.5 (Ov -108 | Un -132) | OFF |
Player props from FanDuel on Dec. 9. Check out SBD’s list of online betting banking methods.
Minnesota forward Dawson Garcia leads the point totals at 18.5 O/U. The senior is averaging a career-best 19.0 PPG through ten games but he’s only gone over 18.5 in one of Minnesota’s losses, and has averaged just 13.5 PPG in the Gophers’ quartet of setbacks.
Reneau has the highest point total on the Indiana side at 15.5 while Ballo leads the rebound props at 9.5.
Best Minnesota vs Indiana Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Golden Gophers | +10.5 (-120) at ESPN Bet | +425 at bet365 | O 139.5 (-110) at bet365 |
| Indiana Hoosiers | -9.5 (-115) at BetMGM | -550 at Caesars | U 140.5 (-115) at BetMGM |
The Minnesota vs Indiana odds show a decent range as of Monday afternoon. The spread is as high as 10.5 at ESPN Bet and as low as 9.5 at BetMGM.
The best moneyline option on the Hoosiers is a hyper-short -550 at Caesars, while the longest odds on Minnesota winning straight-up are +425 at bet365.
There is also a one-point range in the game total with bet365 on the low end at 139.5 with -110 odds both ways and BetMGM on the high end at 140.5 (U -115).
Indiana is getting the vast majority of money in the college basketball public betting splits: IU has attracted 99% of moneyline handle and 92% of ATS handle despite the short odds and big spread.
The Minnesota Timberwolves will face off against the Indiana Pacers on December 9th in what promises to be an exciting matchup between two talented teams in the NBA. Both teams have had their fair share of ups and downs so far this season, making this game a crucial one for both sides.
The Timberwolves currently sit at 11th place in the Western Conference with a record of 11-13. They have shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season, but have struggled with consistency at times. Karl-Anthony Towns has been a standout player for Minnesota, averaging 24.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. D’Angelo Russell has also been a key contributor, averaging 19.6 points and 5.5 assists per game.
On the other side, the Pacers are currently in 10th place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 10-15. They have been dealing with injuries to key players such as Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner, which has impacted their performance on the court. Domantas Sabonis has been a bright spot for Indiana, averaging 19.6 points and 12.4 rebounds per game.
In terms of predictions for this game, it is expected to be a close matchup between the two teams. The Timberwolves have the advantage in terms of offensive firepower, but the Pacers have a strong defense that could pose a challenge for Minnesota. It could come down to which team is able to execute their game plan more effectively on both ends of the court.
As for player props, Karl-Anthony Towns is a safe bet to have a big game for the Timberwolves. Look for him to put up big numbers in points and rebounds against the Pacers’ frontcourt. On the Pacers’ side, Domantas Sabonis will likely be a key player to watch, as he will look to dominate in the paint and on the boards.
In terms of odds, the Timberwolves are currently slight favorites to win this game, with most sportsbooks giving them a slight edge over the Pacers. However, with both teams being evenly matched, this game could truly go either way.
Overall, this matchup between the Timberwolves and Pacers promises to be an exciting one for NBA fans. With both teams looking to secure a much-needed win, expect a competitive and intense game between these two talented squads.
