NCAAB · Final

Huskies Defeat Cardinals in Close Contest

Tuesday, January 27, 2026, 8:00 PM ET · Sharp Gymnasium

Houston Christian Huskies 81, Incarnate Word Cardinals 75, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.

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Quick answers

Who won Incarnate Word Cardinals vs Houston Christian Huskies?

Houston Christian Huskies beat Incarnate Word Cardinals 81-75 at Sharp Gymnasium on January 27, 2026.

Who was favored in Incarnate Word Cardinals vs Houston Christian Huskies?

Incarnate Word Cardinals were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -120 (about 55% implied). The underdog won.

In a thrilling matchup at Sharp Gymnasium, the Houston Christian Huskies secured a hard-fought victory against the Incarnate Word Cardinals, finishing the game with a score of 81 to 75. This win marks a significant moment for the Huskies, who have struggled in recent games but managed to pull through against a familiar opponent.

The Houston Christian Huskies entered the game with a record of 8-13, having won only two of their last ten games, which included a recent loss to the UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros on January 24, where they fell 51-68. Their scoring average over the last ten games stood at 65.1 points, while they allowed an average of 76.7 points per game. In contrast, the Incarnate Word Cardinals, with a record of 9-12, had a slightly better recent form, winning four of their last ten games, although they faced a two-game losing streak leading into this match. The Cardinals averaged 67.6 points scored and allowed 69.3 points during their last ten games.

The home team, the Huskies, had a home record of 2-3 in their last five games, while the Cardinals struggled on the road, managing a 0-4 record in their last four away games. The previous meetings between these two teams had seen the Huskies win one out of three encounters, with their last meeting on January 3, 2026, resulting in a 56-73 defeat for the Huskies.

In terms of injuries, the block does not provide specific details, but both teams have had their share of challenges throughout the season. The odds from DraftKings indicated a close contest, with the Cardinals favored by 1.5 points, while the total points line was set at 140.5, reflecting expectations of a competitive scoring environment.

The game conditions were favorable for both teams, with the Huskies looking to leverage their home court advantage. As the game progressed, the scoring plays highlighted key moments, including a series of crucial shots in the second half that allowed the Huskies to maintain their lead. Notable performances included Trent Johnson, who contributed significantly with dunks and free throws, and Tahj Staveskie, who made pivotal shots, including a three-pointer that kept the momentum in favor of the Huskies.

As the game drew to a close, the Huskies' ability to execute under pressure became evident, culminating in free throws from Johnson that sealed the victory. The final score of 81-75 not only reflects the competitive nature of the game but also signifies a much-needed boost for the Huskies as they look to build on this success in their upcoming fixtures.

Odds

Book	Spread	Total	Moneyline
DraftKings	UIW -1.5	140.5 o -110 / u -110	Incarnate Word Cardinals -120 · Houston Christian Huskies +100

What these prices pay on $100 · What these numbers mean

Leaders

PointsDemari Williams24Houston Christian Huskies
AssistsKylin Green6Houston Christian Huskies
ReboundsDemarco Bethea8Houston Christian Huskies
PointsJordan Pyke27Incarnate Word Cardinals
AssistsTahj Staveskie4Incarnate Word Cardinals
ReboundsJordan Pyke8Incarnate Word Cardinals

Recent form

Houston Christian Huskies

Last 10: 2-8Streak L165.1 scored · 76.7 allowed per game2-3 at home

L51-68vs UT Rio Grande Valley VaquerosJan 24
W82-80vs Northwestern State DemonsJan 20
W81-70vs East Texas A&M LionsJan 17
L56-64at Lamar CardinalsJan 13
L67-85at Stephen F. Austin LumberjacksJan 10
L65-81vs Texas A&M-Corpus Christi IslandersJan 6
L56-73at Incarnate Word CardinalsJan 3
L61-89at Iowa State CyclonesDec 30
L64-79at Nicholls ColonelsDec 18
L68-78vs McNeese CowboysDec 16

Incarnate Word Cardinals

Last 10: 4-6Streak L267.6 scored · 69.3 allowed per game0-4 away

L71-79vs Texas A&M-Corpus Christi IslandersJan 24
L58-80vs East Texas A&M LionsJan 19
W76-74vs Northwestern State DemonsJan 17
L46-56at Stephen F. Austin LumberjacksJan 13
L51-63at Lamar CardinalsJan 11
L67-80at UT Rio Grande Valley VaquerosJan 6
W73-56vs Houston Christian HuskiesJan 3
W79-70vs SE Louisiana LionsDec 30
W90-66vs Northern Arizona LumberjacksDec 21
L65-69at TCU Horned FrogsDec 16

Standings

Team	Overall	Games behind	In conference
Stephen F. Austin	28-6	-	20-2
McNeese	28-6	1	19-3
UT Rio Grande Valley	19-14	6	14-8
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi	18-15	7	13-9
LSU New Orleans	15-18	8	12-10
Nicholls	14-19	8	12-10
Houston Christian	12-20	12	8-14
Northwestern State	10-22	12	8-14
Incarnate Word	12-19	13	7-15
Lamar	12-19	13	7-15
East Texas A&M	11-21	14	6-16
SE Louisiana	9-22	14	6-16

Box score

Stat	Incarnate Word Cardinals	Houston Christian Huskies
Field goals	26-58	24-54
Field goal %	45	44
Three-pointers	10-24	4-12
Three-point %	42	33
Free throws	13-22	29-37
Free throw %	59	78
Rebounds	33	37
Offensive rebounds	15	15
Defensive rebounds	18	22
Assists	10	16
Steals	8	10
Blocks	7	5
Turnovers	20	14
Team turnovers	0	0
Technical fouls	0	0
Technical fouls, total	0	0
Flagrant fouls	0	0
Points off turnovers	14	26
Fast-break points	24	21
Points in the paint	26	38
Fouls	26	19
Largest lead	17	10
Lead changes	2	2
Time in front	75	21

How the scoring went

2nd Half51-45Harrison Reede makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half51-47D'Aundre Samuels makes 6-foot floating jump shot (Demarco Bethea assists)
2nd Half54-47Harrison Reede makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jordan Pyke assists)
2nd Half54-48Demari Williams makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half54-49Demari Williams makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half56-49Mihael Tomic makes 0-foot tip in layup
2nd Half56-50Kylin Green makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half56-51Kylin Green makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half58-51Jordan Pyke makes 0-foot tip in layup
2nd Half58-53Kylin Green makes driving layup
2nd Half58-54Kylin Green makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half58-55Demari Williams makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half58-56Demari Williams makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half58-58Demari Williams makes 12-foot jumper (Trent Johnson assists)
2nd Half60-58Jordan Pyke makes driving layup
2nd Half60-61Trent Johnson makes 25-foot three point jumper (Demari Williams assists)
2nd Half61-61Mihael Tomic makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half61-64Demari Williams makes 25-foot three point jumper (Kylin Green assists)
2nd Half61-66Kylin Green makes driving layup
2nd Half61-68Demarco Bethea makes layup (Kylin Green assists)
2nd Half62-68Davion Bailey makes free throw 1 of 3
2nd Half63-68Davion Bailey makes free throw 2 of 3
2nd Half63-69Demari Williams makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half63-70Demari Williams makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half63-71Demari Williams makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half63-72Trent Johnson makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half63-73Trent Johnson makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half65-73Tahj Staveskie makes driving layup
2nd Half65-74Trent Johnson makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half65-75Trent Johnson makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half66-75Tahj Staveskie makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half67-75Tahj Staveskie makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half67-76Kylin Green makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half69-76Tahj Staveskie makes 4-foot floating jump shot
2nd Half69-78Trent Johnson makes 2-foot dunk (Demari Williams assists)
2nd Half72-78Tahj Staveskie makes 24-foot three point jumper
2nd Half72-80Trent Johnson makes 2-foot dunk (Kylin Green assists)
2nd Half73-80Tahj Staveskie makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half75-80Jordan Pyke makes 6-foot jumper
2nd Half75-81Trent Johnson makes free throw 1 of 2

Win probability

Above the line favours Houston Christian Huskies, below favours Incarnate Word Cardinals.