Less than seven months after meeting in the Elite Eight, where Houston won by 19 points over Tennessee to advance to the Final Four, the two will clash again with far different rosters in hopes of reaching the Players’ Era Festival Championship for a shot at the $1 million prize.
Through six games, Houston (6-0) remains perfect but has had to survive scares in their two contests with power conference opponents. The Cougars needed overtime to fend off a feisty Syracuse squad Monday, 78-74. Seniors Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp combined for 52 points in the win while the highly touted freshmen, Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac, disappointed.
With a favorable opening game draw, Tennessee (6-0) kept its perfect record intact with a 25-point win over Rutgers on Monday, putting itself in the driver seat for a spot in the championship with another victory Tuesday. The Volunteers boast one of the top defenses in the country and just enough offensive firepower behind Maryland transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie and freshman Nate Ament.
Tennessee vs. Houston: When and Where
Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2025, 6 p.m. ET
Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Tennessee vs. Houston: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch: TNT
Stream: FuboTV
Tennessee vs. Houston: Betting Odds
Spread: Houston Cougars -2.5, Tennessee Volunteers +2.5
Moneyline: Houston Cougars -145, Tennessee Volunteers +125
Total: 134.5
Tennessee vs. Houston: Series History
All time series: Tied at 3-3
Last Meeting: Houston 69, Tennessee 50 (March 30, 2025)
Projected Starting Lineups
Tennessee Volunteers
Nate Ament (19.0 ppg, 9.2 rpg)
Ja’Kobi Gillespie (19.2 ppg, 5.6 apg)
Felix Okpara (9.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg)
Cade Phillips (5.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg)
Amaree Abram (4.3 ppg, 1,8 rpg)
Houston Cougars
Emanuel Sharp (17.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
Kingston Flemings (16.0 ppg, 5.3 apg)
Milos Uzan (11.8 ppg, 4.5 apg)
Chris Cenac Jr. (10.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg)
Joseph Tugler (8.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
There’s no shortage of intrigue for Tuesday’s early evening matchup between two of the sport’s best defenses. Houston excels at creating turnovers with its aggressive screen coverage, while giving the ball away has been an issue for the Vols. Meanwhile, Houston has received little contribution from its bench against power conference opponents. The Cougars freshmen will look to bounce back against Tennessee, while Ament will try to continue his hot start to the season.
In a contest full of defense, which team will get enough offense to pull out the victory? Can Tennessee avenge last year’s tournament loss or will the Cougars spoil the Vols shot at $1 million?