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The Wake Forest Demon Deacons take on the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville, TN. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Vanderbilt is favored by -17.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -3500. The total is set at 154.5 points.
Here's my Wake Forest vs. Vanderbilt predictionand college basketball picks for November 5, 2026.
Pick: Wake Forest +17.5 (Play to +15.5)
My Wake Forest vs Vanderbilt best betis on the Demon Deacons to cover the spread. Be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page and download the Action Network app for the latest picks and analysis.
Wake Forest vs Vanderbilt spread:Vanderbilt -17.5 (-106), Wake Forest +17.5 (-114)
Wake Forest vs Vanderbilt over/under:154.5 (-110o / -110u)
Wake Forest vs Vanderbilt moneyline:Wake Forest +1280, Vanderbilt -3500
Put simply, Wake Forest could use a big season. Steve Forbes is in his seventh campaign, and the Demon Deacons haven't made the Big Dance during his tenure.
I do think the Deacons are underrated this year. In the season-opening win, Wake Forest posted a 25% turnover rate and held Maryland Eastern Shore to 0.88 points per possession.
Of course, it's just the Hawks, but Wake Forest also forced 22 Georgetown turnovers in an exhibition game. I could see Forbes leaning into that style with Kevair Kennedy 's experience at Merrimack and having two 6-foot-11 players in the frontcourt.
When you aren't super talented, you have to find a way to win on margins. Wake can do that by forcing turnovers.
The top two scorers for Wake appear to be Kennedy, who scored 18 in his Wake debut, and Gavin Placide , a 6-foot-11 freshman who dropped 20 in his first college game. Placide also pitched in three blocks and two steals, while Kennedy had four steals. The two can be vital two-way options for Forbes.
That's why it makes sense for Wake to play a full-court game. It has rangy players who can push the tempo, but shooting is a concern. So, if Wake Forest decides to muck things up, it suits the Deacs well.
I'd argue that Justin Ray is the most important player on the team. He's the one real shooter that Wake has, as he drilled 42% of his 3s at Monmouth last season.
Can Wake Forest finish in the bottom five in the ACC as KenPom projects? Sure, but I'd bet against it.
Vanderbilt began the season with a 93-47 beatdown against Bellarmine . National Player of the Year candidate Tyler Tanner led Vandy with 20 points and six assists, while Nebraska transfer Berke Buyuktuncel and Washington State transfer Aaron Glass scored 20 points.
The Commodores' backcourt is easy to be excited about. Tanner might be small, but he packs a major punch, and Glass is a great off-ball scoring running mate for Tanner.
I'm not quite as sold on Vandy's supporting cast yet. Buyuktuncel scored 13 in his first game with Vanderbilt, but he averaged 6.5 points per game and shot 27% from 3 at Nebraska.
Chandler Bing has stepped into a starting role as a sophomore; he's an athletic freak and can defend at an elite level. However, he's not a big shooter.
The final starter is Auburn transfer Sebastian Williams-Adams , who could be a double-double machine. He had nine and nine in his first game.
This is in contrast to last season, when Mark Byington had Duke Miles as his Ace Glass, with sharpshooter Tyler Nickel at the three and AK Okereke, another shooter, at the four.
Perhaps Vanderbilt's system can bring the shooting out of Buyuktuncel, Bing and Williams-Adams, but I want to see if the Dores' style changes with a different roster. I could see Vanderbilt finishing as a top-five defense in the sport, but the offense could take a step back.
Still, Tanner and Glass are one of the top backcourts in the country.
This line feels high. I'm taking Wake Forest at +17.5.
Both teams have some serious shooting questions but could be terrific defensive teams. The Deacons and Vandy are fast-paced squads, so there will be plenty of scoring.
I just think Wake Forest has the pieces to keep it close enough, and Kennedy should be ready for the Tanner assignment.
Pick: Wake Forest +17.5 (Play to +15.5)
