Houston Defeats Notre Dame 66-56 in NCAAB Clash
Wednesday, November 26, 2025, 3:30 PM ET · MGM Grand Garden Arena
Houston Cougars 66, Notre Dame Fighting Irish 56, 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 Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Houston Cougars?
Houston Cougars beat Notre Dame Fighting Irish 66-56 at MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 26, 2025.
Who was favored in Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Houston Cougars?
Houston Cougars were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -800 (about 89% implied). The favorite won.
The Houston Cougars secured a solid victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, finishing the game with a score of 66-56. This matchup, held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, showcased Houston's strong home performance, despite their recent loss in the previous game against the Tennessee Volunteers. The Cougars' home record now stands at 8-1, while the Fighting Irish, with a 5-3 overall record, continue to struggle on the road, where they have yet to win this season.
Houston entered the game with a recent form of 9-1 over their last ten games, averaging 75.6 points scored and allowing 60.3 points. However, they faced a setback with a loss to Tennessee, where they fell short with a score of 73-76. Prior to that, they had a successful run, defeating teams like Syracuse and Rider with scores of 78-74 and 91-45 respectively. In their last five games, Houston has recorded four wins and one loss, with an average of 78.6 points scored and 62.4 points allowed.
On the other hand, Notre Dame came into this game riding a one-game winning streak, having recently defeated the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 68-63. Their overall performance this season has been mixed, with a record of 7-3 in their last ten games and an average of 77.0 points scored against 71.2 points allowed. Despite a loss to the Kansas Jayhawks, where they scored 61 points against 71, they have shown resilience by winning their previous two games against Bellarmine and Eastern Illinois. However, their away record remains troubling at 0-3, which has contributed to their struggles this season.
In their only previous meeting this season, Houston emerged victorious against Notre Dame with a score of 65-54. This history likely added to the competitive atmosphere of the game.
In terms of injuries, the block does not specify any players missing from either team, suggesting that both sides were at full strength for this encounter.
The betting market, as provided by DraftKings, had Houston favored by 11.5 points, with a total set at 132.5. The odds indicated a strong belief in Houston's ability to win, with a moneyline of -800 for the Cougars and +550 for the Fighting Irish.
Conditions for the game were standard for a basketball matchup, with no significant weather factors affecting play.
As the game unfolded, viewers witnessed a competitive battle, with Houston managing to maintain a lead throughout much of the contest. Key moments included free throws and critical plays that highlighted both teams' efforts to secure the win. Ultimately, Houston's defensive prowess and ability to score in crucial moments allowed them to close out the game successfully, reinforcing their dominance at home.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | HOU -11.5 | 132.5 o -112 / u -108 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish +550 · Houston Cougars -800 |
Leaders
- PointsEmanuel Sharp17Houston Cougars
- AssistsKingston Flemings5Houston Cougars
- ReboundsJoseph Tugler8Houston Cougars
- PointsMarkus Burton19Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- AssistsMarkus Burton5Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- ReboundsMarkus Burton7Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Recent form
Houston Cougars
Last 10: 9-1Streak L175.6 scored · 60.3 allowed per game8-1 at home
- L73-76vs Tennessee VolunteersNov 25
- W78-74vs Syracuse OrangeNov 24
- W91-45vs Rider BroncsNov 21
- W73-72at Auburn TigersNov 16
- W78-45vs Oakland Golden GrizzliesNov 13
- W65-48vs Towson TigersNov 8
- W75-57vs Lehigh Mountain HawksNov 4
- W72-64vs Arizona WildcatsMar 15
- W74-54vs BYU CougarsMar 14
- W77-68vs Colorado BuffaloesMar 13
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Last 10: 7-3Streak W177 scored · 71.2 allowed per game0-3 away
- W68-63vs Rutgers Scarlet KnightsNov 25
- L61-71at Kansas JayhawksNov 24
- W86-79vs Bellarmine KnightsNov 20
- L63-64at Ohio State BuckeyesNov 16
- W78-58vs Eastern Illinois PanthersNov 12
- W102-70vs Detroit Mercy TitansNov 8
- W89-67vs Long Island University SharksNov 4
- L56-76at North Carolina Tar HeelsMar 12
- W55-54vs Pittsburgh PanthersMar 11
- W112-110vs California Golden BearsMar 8
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke | 35-3 | - | 17-1 |
| Virginia | 30-6 | 2 | 15-3 |
| Miami | 26-9 | 4 | 13-5 |
| North Carolina | 24-9 | 5 | 12-6 |
| Clemson | 24-11 | 5 | 12-6 |
| Louisville | 24-11 | 6 | 11-7 |
| NC State | 20-14 | 7 | 10-8 |
| Florida State | 18-15 | 7 | 10-8 |
| California | 22-12 | 8 | 9-9 |
| Stanford | 20-13 | 8 | 9-9 |
| Virginia Tech | 19-13 | 9 | 8-10 |
| SMU | 20-14 | 9 | 8-10 |
| Wake Forest | 18-17 | 10 | 7-11 |
| Syracuse | 15-17 | 11 | 6-12 |
| Pittsburgh | 13-20 | 12 | 5-13 |
| Notre Dame | 13-18 | 13 | 4-14 |
| Boston College | 11-20 | 13 | 4-14 |
| Georgia Tech | 11-20 | 15 | 2-16 |
| Arizona | 36-3 | - | 16-2 |
| Houston | 30-7 | 2 | 14-4 |
| Iowa State | 29-8 | 4 | 12-6 |
| Kansas | 24-11 | 4 | 12-6 |
| Texas Tech | 23-11 | 4 | 12-6 |
| TCU | 23-12 | 5 | 11-7 |
| BYU | 23-12 | 7 | 9-9 |
| UCF | 21-12 | 7 | 9-9 |
| West Virginia | 21-14 | 7 | 9-9 |
| Cincinnati | 18-15 | 7 | 9-9 |
| Colorado | 17-16 | 9 | 7-11 |
| Arizona State | 17-16 | 9 | 7-11 |
| Oklahoma State | 20-15 | 10 | 6-12 |
| Baylor | 17-17 | 10 | 6-12 |
| Kansas State | 12-20 | 13 | 3-15 |
| Utah | 10-22 | 14 | 2-16 |
Box score
| Stat | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Houston Cougars |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 17-50 | 20-59 |
| Field goal % | 34 | 34 |
| Three-pointers | 6-28 | 8-27 |
| Three-point % | 21 | 30 |
| Free throws | 16-21 | 18-23 |
| Free throw % | 76 | 78 |
| Rebounds | 34 | 44 |
| Offensive rebounds | 9 | 16 |
| Defensive rebounds | 25 | 28 |
| Assists | 10 | 15 |
| Steals | 2 | 4 |
| Blocks | 1 | 3 |
| Turnovers | 8 | 5 |
| Team turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 9 | 12 |
| Fast-break points | 4 | 2 |
| Points in the paint | 20 | 20 |
| Fouls | 19 | 17 |
| Largest lead | 0 | 22 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half28-40Chris Cenac Jr. made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half28-41Chris Cenac Jr. made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half28-44Emanuel Sharp made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Kingston Flemings.
- 2nd Half30-44Ryder Frost made Jumper. Assisted by Markus Burton.
- 2nd Half32-44Markus Burton made Layup. Assisted by Cole Certa.
- 2nd Half32-45Joseph Tugler made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half32-46Joseph Tugler made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half35-46Logan Imes made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Markus Burton.
- 2nd Half37-46Markus Burton made Layup.
- 2nd Half38-46Markus Burton made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half39-46Carson Towt made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half40-46Carson Towt made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half42-46Jalen Haralson made Layup.
- 2nd Half42-48Ramon Walker Jr. made Layup.
- 2nd Half44-48Jalen Haralson made Jumper.
- 2nd Half44-50Kalifa Sakho made Dunk. Assisted by Emanuel Sharp.
- 2nd Half45-50Markus Burton made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half46-50Markus Burton made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half46-51Emanuel Sharp made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half46-52Emanuel Sharp made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half46-53Kalifa Sakho made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half46-54Kalifa Sakho made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half46-55Mercy Miller made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half46-56Mercy Miller made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half46-57Milos Uzan made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half46-58Milos Uzan made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half48-58Kebba Njie made Jumper. Assisted by Markus Burton.
- 2nd Half48-59Mercy Miller made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half48-60Mercy Miller made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half49-60Jalen Haralson made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half49-62Kalifa Sakho made Layup. Assisted by Emanuel Sharp.
- 2nd Half50-62Markus Burton made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half51-62Markus Burton made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half53-62Jalen Haralson made Dunk. Assisted by Logan Imes.
- 2nd Half53-63Emanuel Sharp made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half54-63Markus Burton made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half54-64Kingston Flemings made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half56-64Markus Burton made Layup.
- 2nd Half56-65Milos Uzan made Free Throw.
- 2nd Half56-66Milos Uzan made Free Throw.
Win probability
Above the line favours Houston Cougars, below favours Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Venue
- MGM Grand Garden ArenaLas Vegas, NV
- Attendance1629
- OfficialsLee Cassell, Bret Smith, Lucas Santos
Elsewhere
- Carson Crawford, No. 46 in '27 class, commits to Arizona St.
- Tennessee's Ralph Scott to have knee surgery, out at least 6 months
- Men's NCAA basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings
- Transfers, recruits and roster moves for key men's NCAA basketball teams
- Michigan 5-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. (knee) to miss season
- With $6.5 million left on deal, UCLA fires AD Martin Jarmond