The top 25 teams, Arkansas and Houston, meet Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. No. 14 Arkansas (9-2) rides a four-game win streak, while No. 8 Houston (10-1) seeks its fifth straight victory.
Here’s what you need to know about the matchup, including tipoff time and details for TV, radio, and livestream coverage.
When To Watch Arkansas vs. Houston?
Date: Saturday, December 20, 2025
Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
Location: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
How To Watch
TV Channel: CBS
Announcers: Rich Waltz (play-by-play), Steve Lappas (analyst), and Jon Rothstein (reporter)
Livestream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App; Paramount+ Premium
Radio: 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app (Houston); Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Arkansas)
SiriusXM: Ch. 162 or Ch. 198 (Houston); Ch 106 (Arkansas)
Where Do Arkansas and Houston Stand Heading Into Week 7?
Arkansas and Houston are off to strong starts and appear poised to contend for the 2026 national championship. Under coach John Calipari, the Razorbacks have dominated weaker teams and performed well against ranked opponents.
Aside from close wins over Winthrop and Sanford, No. 14 Arkansas has collected lopsided victories against Southern (109-77), Central Arkansas (93-56), Jackson State (115-61), Fresno State (82-58), and Queens (108-80). The Razorbacks have also won two of four games against ranked teams.
After losses to Michigan State (69-66) and Duke (80-71), Arkansas defeated Louisville (89-80) and Texas Tech (93-86) in a rematch of last season’s Sweet 16. Arkansas now seeks a third consecutive win over a ranked team to build momentum for SEC play.
Houston has established itself as a national contender, aiming for another trip to the Final Four and a national title. The Cougars easily beat Lehigh, Towson, and Oakland before passing a top-25 test against Auburn. Wins over Rider and Syracuse followed before a three-point loss to Tennessee.
Kelvin Sampson’s team rebounded by beating Notre Dame (66-56), Florida State (82-67), Jackson State (80-38), and New Orleans (99-57), setting up a highly anticipated matchup with Arkansas at 10-1 and ranked No. 8 in the AP poll.
Senior guard Emanuel Sharp leads the Cougars’ offense, averaging 17.2 points and 3.2 3-point field goals per game. Freshman guard Kingston Flemings stands second with 14.8 points per game and leads the team in steals at 2.0 per game and field goal percentage at 60.6%.
Chris Cenac Jr. paces Houston in rebounds, hauling down 7.5 rebounds per game, and junior forward Joseph Tugler is the team’s best blocker with 2.1 rejections per contest.
As for Arkansas, freshman Darius Acuff Jr spearheads the Razorbacks’ offense, averaging 18.2 ppg. He also leads the team in assists (6.1 apg) and in 3-pointers made (2.5 3PM).
Trevon Brazile is the team’s second-best scorer (15.1 ppg) and the top rebounder (7.1 rpg) and blocker (1.4 bpg). Freshman Melek Thomas is the third-leading scorer for the Razorbacks at 14.8 ppg and leads the team in steals (1.5 spg).
This is the 42nd time both teams have met on the court since they first played during the 1975-76 season. The Razorbacks own a 22-19 lead in their all-time series, but the Cougars won their last meeting 91-65 inside H&PE Arena on the Texas Southern campus in Houston on December 2, 2017.
The Saturday clash will be the seventh meeting between the two schools when ranked. Houston holds a 4-2 lead under this situation.
