Notre Dame vs TCU Prediction 12/5/2025 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The TCU Horned Frogs and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will meet on Friday night in a non‑conference matchup at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

TCU Horned Frogs Betting Preview

The TCU Horned Frogs enter Friday night’s matchup with a 5–2 win‑loss record. The Horned Frogs have compiled wins over Kansas City, Florida, and Wisconsin, while dropping games to New Orleans and the Michigan Wolverines. In the TCU Horned Frogs 74-63 win over the Wisconsin Badgers seven days ago, TCU forward David Punch amassed 17 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks.

The TCU Horned Frogs averages 79.7 points on 44.5 percent shooting from the field per game. Defensively, the Horned Frogs are allowing opponents 65.9 points (26th in the nation) on 39.6 percent shooting from the field per game.

Sophomore forward David Punch leads the TCU Horned Frogs averaging 12.7 points, 7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.4 steals per game, providing the Horned Frogs with steady scoring and perimeter defense. Junior guard Brock Harding has emerged as the team’s primary facilitator, averaging 6.1 assists per game. Forward Xavier Edmonds averages 8.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Preview

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish enter Friday’s contest with a 6–3 record, highlighted by wins over Long Island, Detroit Mercy, Rutgers and the Missouri Tigers. The Fighting Irish have sustained losses to Ohio State, Kansas and the Houston Cougars. In the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s 68-63 victory over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights last month, guard Markus Burton accumulated 21 points on 9 of 13 shooting from the field and 2 of 4 shooting from beyond the arc.

Notre Dame averages 75.4 points on 46.4 percent shooting from the field per game. The Fighting Irish are allowing opponents 67.7 points on 41.5 percent shooting from the field per contest.

Freshman guard Jalen Haralson averages 13.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Junior guard Markus Burton leads the backcourt averaging 19.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

Why the TCU Horned Frogs Will Win

•            Balanced attack. Multiple scoring options in Harding, Edwards, and Punch prevent defenses from keying on one offensive player.

•            Home court. The TCU Horned Frogs are a strong home team.

•            Defensive consistency. The TCU Horned Frogs are allowing opponents just 65.9 points per game which ranks 26th in the nation.

Why the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Will Win

•            Junior guard Markus Burton is averaging 19.9 points per game.

•            Freshman Jalen Haralson provides scoring versatility and keeps defenses honest.

•            Rebounding edge. Senior forward Carson Towt controls the glass averaging 10.2 rebounds per game.

TCU vs. Notre Dame Prediction

This matchup pits TCU’s balanced roster against Notre Dame’s star driven offense. Expect the Horned Frogs to lean on their depth and defensive consistency, while Notre Dame will rely heavily on Burton’s scoring and Towt’s rebounding. The Irish have shown they can hang around against quality opponents, but their reliance on Burton makes them vulnerable if he’s slowed down. TCU’s ability to rotate defenders and force Notre Dame into late‑clock possessions should give them the edge.

Over 40 minutes, TCU’s balanced scoring and home‑court advantage should prove decisive. The Horned Frogs have multiple ways to generate offense, whether through Pierre’s perimeter shooting, Robinson’s rebounding, or Harding’s playmaking. Notre Dame may keep it close if Burton gets hot, but the lack of consistent secondary scoring options makes it difficult to sustain runs against TCU’s defense. Look for the Horned Frogs to pull away in the second half, using their depth and defensive pressure to secure the win. I am backing the TCU Horned Frogs to cover the 7.5 points in this game.

Hans Geevers's Pick: TCU Horned Frogs -7.5