Wake Forest heads to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt in a Top-100 matchup tonight.
Both teams enter the season with high hopes, with the Demon Deacons looking to pull off an early upset, while Vanderbilt looks to dominate from start to finish.
My Wake Forest vs. Vanderbilt prediction and college basketball picks envision the Commodores cruising early.
TOP PICK
Who will win Wake Forest vs Vanderbilt: Vanderbilt -18.5
It's hard to want to lay the points on a near 20-point favorite when the two teams aren't that far apart in Bart Torvik's rankings. However, Vanderbilt's preseason exhibition schedule better prepared the Commodores for the start of the season than Wake Forest's.
Vanderbilt faced Virginia, Miami (FL), and UAB in preparation for the 2026-27 season. Meanwhile, Wake Forest played Georgetown and South Carolina. That's solid competition, but not quite the same level as what Vanderbilt faced.
On top of that, Vanderbilt returns junior guard Tyler Tanner, who was not only a first-team All-SEC and All-Defensive selection a season ago, but also averaged nearly 20 PPG and 5.1 APG while shooting 37% from deep.
The Commodores also added former Colorado big man Bangot Dak, who averaged 11.5 PPG and 6.5 RPG last season. He should be a great interior defender, as posted a 6.4% block rate a year ago.
Wake Forest didn't return a single starter from last season, retaining just four players from the previous roster. With so many new faces, I like the Commodores in this spot, and expect them to win by 20 or more.
COVERS INTEL: Vanderbilt added Ace Glass, a 6-foot-3 guard from Washington State. The sophomore averaged 16.4 PPG while knocking down more than two 3-pointers per game. His ability to spread the floor should add another dimension and plenty of depth to this Commodores offense.
Wake Forest vs Vanderbilt Over/Under pick: Over 155.5
Both teams like to play fast, ranking among the top 115 in possessions per game a year ago. We should expect more of the same downhill style this evening, with plenty of back-and-forth action.
However, given the level of competition Vanderbilt has faced, I can see the Commodores building a big lead. The Demon Deacons might have a hard time keeping up.
With neither team looking ahead to anything until next Tuesday, expect everyone to be fully present in the moment.
Wake Forest vs Vanderbilt combo
Vanderbilt's experience and talent should create separation, while both teams' up-tempo styles provide plenty of opportunities to push this game Over the total.
Pairing the Commodores to cover with the Over at 3.81x makes for a combo piece well worth the sweat.
Wake Forest vs Vanderbilt combo
- Vanderbilt -18.5
- Over 155.5
- Top picks: 10-5, +6.12 Units
Wake Forest vs Vanderbilt odds
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
- Spread: Wake Forest +18.5 | Vanderbilt -18.5
- Over/Under: Over 155.5 | Under 155.5
- Moneyline: Wake Forest 7% | Vanderbilt 94%
For the full slate of college basketball matchups, check out our college basketball odds board!
Wake Forest vs Vanderbilt trend
The Commodores are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games following a straight-up win of more than 20 points. Find more college basketball betting trends.
How to watch Wake Forest vs Vanderbilt
| Location | Historic Memorial Gymnasium, Nashville, TN |
| Date | Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026 |
| Tip off | 6 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN2 |
Wake Forest vs Vanderbilt latest injuries
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