A pair of old Southwest Conference rivals will square off for the first time since the 2017-18 season on Saturday, when No. 8 Houston and No. 14 Arkansas tangle on CBS in a marquee showdown inside the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The meeting brings a final showcase opportunity for both as nonconference play winds down ahead of the start of Big 12 and SEC play during the first week of January.
It marks Houston’s toughest December test after a challenging November slate that showed the promise of a team led by a mixture of grizzled veterans and freshman phenoms. As per usual, the Cougars are a gritty defensive club that plays a physical, grinding style designed to wear down the opposition. Arkansas counters with an up-tempo attack led by a pair of star freshman guards in Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas. Second-year coach John Calipari’s club has already beaten ranked foes Louisville and Texas Tech this month and is on the hunt for another high-profile victory.
The showdown between Calipari and Houston coach Kelvin Sampson is a meeting of old friends. Calipari revealed after taking the Arkansas job in 2024 that he consulted Sampson about working for Razorbacks athletic director Hunter Yurachek, who was previously Sampson’s boss at Houston. Sampson’s glowing review of Yurachek helped Calipari decide to take the gig.
It’s the eighth rendition of the Never Forget Tribute Classic, which supports charities dedicated to the remembrance of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. Here is everything you need to know ahead of a big-time showdown between Arkansas and Houston.
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All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Where to watch Arkansas vs. Houston live
Date: Saturday, Dec. 20 | Time: 5:30 p.m. ETLocation: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports AppStreaming on Paramount+ Premium
Arkansas vs. Houston: Need to know
Getting Thomas back on track: Arkansas star freshman Meleek Thomas will be seeking to get back on track after consecutive poor showings. The highly touted guard reached double figures in his first nine games, averaging 16.9 points to begin his college career, before hitting a wall over the past week. He went just 3 for 19 from the floor in Arkansas’ victories over Texas Tech and Queens. Finding a rhythm will be tough against Houston, but expect Thomas to take plenty of shots. He’s a flamethrower who won’t be afraid to let it fly.
Freshman studs: Houston has a couple freshman stars of its own in point guard Kingston Flemings and center Chris Cenac Jr. Flemings has delivered his biggest performances in some of Houston’s biggest games, tallying 21+ points against Auburn, Tennessee and Florida State. But even when he’s not scoring, Flemings is stirring the drink as a passer. Cenac is a long, rangy utilitarian who supports the program’s mission of defending tenaciously and rebounding with a vengeance.
Early-season Bracketology: It’s never too early to be thinking about the NCAA Tournament picture. Arkansas is currently the last No. 5 seed in CBS Sports’ latest Bracketology, and the Razorbacks would solidify their standing on the No. 5 line with a win. But a loss would drop the Razorbacks one full seed line, according to our model’s projection. Houston enters as a No. 4 seed and will move a half-seed in either direction, depending on the outcome. A win could be enough to get the Cougars up to the No. 3 seed line if projected No. 3 seeds Purdue and/or North Carolina falter in tough Saturday matchups.
Arkansas vs. Houston prediction, picks
Arkansas is on the upswing after taking down Louisville and Texas Tech this month. Facing Houston’s tenacious defense is a different level of challenge, but the Razorbacks are outfitted with a variety of scoring threats and will seek to speed the Cougars up. If one or more Arkansas defenders are up to the challenge of trailing Houston star Emanuel Sharp on the defensive end, the Razorbacks will cover and potentially even win outright. Pick: Arkansas +4.5
Who will win and cover in every college basketball game? Visit SportsLine to get picks from the model that simulates each game 10,000 times and is up more than $1,200 for $100 players on its top-rated spread picks the past six years.
