Houston's Defense Wraps Up the Irish: No. 3 Houston Cougars vs Notre Dame Live Game Updates, Box Score
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No. 3 Houston Cougars basketball wrap up their time at the Player’s Era tournament in Las Vegas against Notre Dame on Wednesday afternoon.
This is the third game in three days for the Cougars, who look to end their second Player’s Era tournament with a win against the Fighting Irish.
Houston enters this matchup with a 6-1 record after suffering their first loss of the season against No. 17 Tennessee on Tuesday night, 76-73. The Cougars led 39-35 at half and also took an 11-point lead, but went through a seven-minute scoring drought and could not hold on. UH had 18 fewer free throw attempts, even though the game was quite physical, noted by head coach Kelvin Sampson.
Freshman point guard Kingston Flemings showed his incredible talent in the national spotlight again, as he scored a career high 25 points on 10/15 shooting. Senior point guard Milos Uzan added 17 points and four assists. There was a lot to learn for the Cougars in that first loss, and they’ll look to bounce back on this quick turnaround.
Coogs vs. Fighting Irish
This matchup is a familiar one, as these two programs faced off against each other in the first-ever Player’s Era tournament last year. Houston beat Notre Dame in their most recent battle, 65-54, for their only win of the tournament in 2024.
Senior guard Emanuel Sharp put up a team high 17 points in that one, and he’ll look to have a big bounce-back game after getting two early fouls against Tennessee and missing 15 minutes of the first half.
Overall, the Cougars lead the all-time series 5-4. Notre Dame enters this game with a 5-2 record and has split their two games in the Player’s Era so far. The Irish lost their first game to Kansas 71-61, but had a good performance against Rutgers on Tuesday in a 68-63 win.
Junior guard Markus Burton put up 21 points, six rebounds, and five assists in the victory, and he leads Notre Dame this season with just over 20 points per game while shooting 51 percent from the field overall. Additionally, freshman forward Jalen Haralson scored 15 points, and he averages 13 PPG.
The Cougars are 11.5-point favorites and will look to play a good game from start to finish, something they have struggled with so far this week.
Tip-off is at 2:30 p.m. CST from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and be sure to check back here at game time for live updates on Houston’s second game of the Player’s Era Tournament.
Follow below for live updates as the action unfolds from Sin City.
Live Updates
Starting Lineup: PG Milos Uzan, PG Kingston Flemings, G Emanuel Sharp, F Joseph Tugler, F Chris Cenac Jr.
Under 16 Timeout: Houston 6, Notre Dame 0
Tugler starts off strong for Houston with four early points.
Under 12 Timeout: Houston 21, Notre Dame 4
The Cougars are on fire so far as Uzan knocks down a couple 3-pointers and Sharp gets on the board
Under 8 Timeout: Houston 29, Notre Dame 7
Houston continues to stay hot from beyond the arc.
Under 4 Timeout: Houston 34, Notre Dame 19
The Irish finally start to make some shots and free throws, but the Cougars still well in control. Senior guard Ramon Walker Jr. makes his presence felt.
Halftime: Houston 39, Notre Dame 25
After a disastrous start, Notre Dame goes on a late 10-2 run to get back in it. Houston shot 44 percent from three. Uzan and Sharp led the way with 11 points each.
Under 16 Timeout: Houston 44, Notre Dame 32
The Irish are aggresive in attacking and continue to chip away at the deficit.
Under 12 Timeout: Houston 48, Notre Dame 42
Notre Dame goes on another 10-0 run and the lead for Houston is all of a sudden in danger. The Irish have definitely fought back impressively after being down more than 20 in the first half.
Under 8 Timeout: Houston 58, Notre Dame 48
The Cougars extend the lead back to double digits through free throws. Sophomore guard Mercy Miller makes a defensive impact.
Under 4 Timeout: Houston 62, Notre Dame 51
UH's defene really starts to clam up and senior center off the bench Kalifo Sakho shows some nice effort. Tugler got fouled out early again.
FINAL: Houston 66, Notre Dame 56
Another late scoring drought plagued the Cougars, but were able to get to the free throw line and wrap this up comfortably. Houston was a disaster offensively in the second half and were just 4/23 in total, while just going 1/11 from three. However, their defense came through. Sharp was the leading scorer with 17 points, and Uzan added 15.
The Cougars put up 24 second chance points compared to just 10 for Notre Dame while both teams shot 34% overall.
Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.