Evansville vs Notre Dame Prediction 12/13/2025 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Evansville Purple Aces will meet on Saturday afternoon in a non‑conference matchup at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Indiana.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Preview

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish enter Saturday’s contest with an 8–3 record, including a perfect 6–0 mark at home. The Fighting Irish have compiled wins over Missouri, Rutgers, Idaho and the TCU Horned Frogs, while dropping games to Houston, Kansas and the Ohio State Buckeyes. In the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s 80–65 win over the Idaho Vandals two days ago, forward Jalen Haralson tallied 20 points (8 of 16 shooting from the field), 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish average 76.9 points on 42 percent shooting from the field and 37.5 percent shooting from three‑point range per game. The Fighting Irish have allowed opponents 69 points on 42 percent shooting from the field per game.

Junior guard Markus Burton leads the Notre Dame Fighting Irish backcourt averaging 18.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Freshman forward Jalen Haralson is averaging 14.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 0.5 steals per contest.

Evansville Purple Aces Betting Preview

The Evansville Purple Aces enter Saturday night’s contest with a 4–6 record, including an 0–2 mark on the road. The Aces have amassed wins over the Oregon State Beavers, Ball State, and Campbell, while dropping games to Western Kentucky, Akron, and College of Charleston. In the Evansville Purple Aces 64–52 win over the Ball State Cardinal earlier this month, forward Connor Turnbull accumulated 21 points (9 of 13 shooting from the field), 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 blocks.

The Purple Aces average 73.4 points on 44 percent shooting from the field and 31 percent shooting from three‑point range per game, while allowing opponents 71.6 points per game.

Senior forward Conner Turnbull leads the Evansville Purple Aces averaging 13.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.9 blocks per game. Senior forward AJ Casey provides the Purple Aces a strong presence in the paint averaging 7.9 points, 6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game.  

Why the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Will Win

 •           Home dominance. The Irish are undefeated at Purcell Pavilion (6–0).

•            Quality guard play. Notre Dame guards Markus Burton and Jalen Haralson combine for over 32 points per game.

•            Defensive edge. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are allowing 69 points per game compared to Evansville’s 71.6.

Why the Evansville Purple Aces Will Win

•            Balanced scoring. Conner Turnbull and AJ Casey provide frontcourt depth for the Evansville Purple Aces.

•            Interior defense and rim protection. Conner Turnbull is averaging 13.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.9 blocks per game

•            Motivation. The Evansville Purple Aces are looking to bounce back from an 80-79 loss to Western Kentucky in the team’s last game.

Notre Dame vs. Evansville Prediction

This matchup features the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s explosive guard play against the  Evansville Purple Aces balanced but inconsistent roster. I expect the Irish to lean on Markus Burton’s playmaking and Jalen Haralson’s scoring to carry the load, while the Evansville Purple Aces will look to Conner Turnbull’s rim protection to keep pace in this one.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s ability to defend the perimeter and convert turnovers into transition points should prove critical in this matchup. With Burton orchestrating the offense, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have the guard play to extend the margin late. If Evansville fails to slow the tempo, Notre Dame’s balanced attack will likely secure another home victory. I am backing the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to cover the 16.5 points in this game.

Hans Geevers's Pick: Notre Dame -16.5