How To Watch Houston Cougars Men’s Basketball in 2025

✦ Edited and fact-checked by Junior Sports Writer Alex Vejar, our junior sports writer with over 10 years of covering sports.

A season of unfinished business

That 65–63 loss to Florida in last year’s NCAA national championship game still stings. Last season was a phenomenal success by any measure—a 35–5 overall record, both Big 12 regular season and tournament titles, and a No. 1 seed—but it ended in heartbreak.

Now, the narrative for Houston Cougars basketball is all about redemption. This isn’t a rebuild; it’s a reload. The veteran core might be gone, but an elite trio returns, led by All-Big 12 guard Milos Uzan, go-to scorer Emanuel Sharp, and the reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Joseph Tugler.

The energy, however, comes from one of the top recruiting classes in the nation. The hype is real. Five-star center Chris Cenac Jr. looks like a guaranteed lottery pick, and 4-star guard Isiah Harwell has all the tools to be a one-and-done talent. The challenge for Kelvin Sampson is blending that explosive new talent with his trademark, defense-first culture. For fans, expectations are justifiably through the roof. It’s National Championship or bust.

Watching this team’s journey has gotten a little more complex. The Big 12’s media deal now spreads games across five partners, including a new, exclusive package on Peacock. To help you navigate the new setup, I’ve built this complete guide to answer the biggest question: “What channel is the Houston basketball game on?”

2025–2026 Houston men’s basketball TV schedule

The campaign for redemption tips off at home on November 3 against Lehigh. The non-conference slate is designed to test the new lineup, highlighted by the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas over Thanksgiving (featuring Syracuse and Tennessee) and a major matchup against Arkansas in the Never Forget Tribute Classic on December 20.

Conference play will be a trial by fire, starting January 3 at Cincinnati. The back half of the schedule is particularly brutal. That run from February 16 to February 23—traveling to face Iowa State, hosting Arizona, and then going to Kansas—is just nasty. Here’s a look at the key dates for the 2025–2026 Houston Cougars basketball schedule.

Data effective as of post date.

Best TV plans for watching Houston men’s basketball

Alright, let’s build the right streaming setup. To get 100% of the Houston Cougars basketball live streams, you need a specific combination of channels. You’ll need the national networks (ESPN, ESPN2, CBS), the NCAA Tournament channels (TBS, TNT, truTV), the conference streaming platform (Big 12 Now on ESPN+), and the new exclusive streaming home (Peacock).

My top recommendation for a foundational service is Hulu + Live TV (starting at $88.99–$99.99/mo.). The reason is simple: it’s the most complete package for a Big 12 fan. It not only includes all the essential live channels—from ESPN to CBS and all the Turner networks for March—but its plan also bundles in ESPN+. This is the key. That bundle gives you access to all the “Big 12 Now on ESPN+” games without needing a separate subscription.

From there, you only need one essential “add-on”: Peacock Premium ($10.99–$16.99/mo.). This is new for the 2025–2026 season. The Big 12 has at least 18 exclusive games on the platform, including Houston’s matchups with Florida State and Baylor. My warning: I’d steer clear of Fubo. While it’s a solid service for many sports, it’s missing the Turner networks (TBS, TNT, truTV). I just can’t recommend a plan that would black out the Final Four during a championship-or-bust season.

How to watch Houston men’s basketball FAQ

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