Updated December 20, 2025
On Saturday, a top-25 non-conference college basketball matchup is on tap as the Houston Cougars face the Arkansas Razorbacks at Prudential Center in Newark as part of the Never Forget Tribute Classic. Both teams come in with four straight wins and we should be in for an excellent game in college hoops. Before tip-off from New Jersey, you will find my Houston vs Arkansas prediction right here.
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Houston (10-1) enters this neutral-site contest riding a four-game win streak following a loss to Tennessee. The Cougars have elite defense that has been suffocating opponents all season. The Cougars rank among the top teams in limiting points and field goal percentages for their foes, forcing opponents into contested shots and turnovers.
Emanuel Sharp is leading the scoring charge for Houston with 17.2 points per game, while Milos Uzan orchestrates the offense with over five assists per outing. Houston’s roster also features impactful contributions from Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac Jr., giving Kelvin Sampson a balanced rotation to lean on.
Arkansas (9-2) has also been firing on all cylinders, winning its last four and showcasing an explosive offense that averages nearly 90 points per game. Freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. has emerged as the Razorbacks’ top option, scoring north of 18 points per game and dishing out assists. Trevon Brazile has been a dominant force inside and beyond the arc. Arkansas’ fastbreak points rank among the nation’s best, and victories against high-caliber opponents like Louisville and Texas Tech demonstrate their ability to handle strong competition.
Score Projection: Houston 78 – Arkansas 70
Win Probability: Houston 65%, Arkansas 35%
I'm going to take Houston to win and cover the spread in New Jersey on Saturday evening. The Cougars have a defense that makes a difference, entering this game giving up under 60 points per contest. They may not hold the Razorbacks to a number quite that low, but I still think that the Cougars will keep Arkansas in check enough to cover the spread as the favorite here.
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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