Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs Vanderbilt Commodores Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Week 1

Vanderbilt is ranked No. 24 and just won its opener by 46, but Wake Forest brings a playmaker who filled every column on Monday, and 17.5 points is a wide gap between two unbeaten power-conference teams.

The Matchup

Wake Forest visits No. 24 Vanderbilt on Thursday evening at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, and the market expects the ranked team to pull away. Vanderbilt is a 17.5-point favorite with a total of 155.5, on ESPN2. Vanderbilt finished 27-9 last season, scoring 81.7 points a game and allowing 78.3. Wake Forest finished 18-17, scoring 75.2 and allowing 78.7. Those are last season's numbers, and both rosters look different now.

The openers pointed in opposite directions on paper. Vanderbilt beat Bellarmine 93-47, with Tyler Tanner scoring 20 points with 6 assists and no turnovers, Berke Buyuktuncel scoring 13 on perfect 5-of-5 shooting, and all five starters reaching at least 9 points. Wake Forest beat Maryland Eastern Shore 83-62 behind a guard who ran everything. Kevair Kennedy scored 14 points with 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals, and Gavin Placide added 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting.

Wake's opener was built on disruption. The Demon Deacons scored 31 points off turnovers and 25 fast-break points, and that is the version of Wake Forest that matters here. A team that creates easy baskets does not have to outshoot a ranked opponent in the half court to stay inside a big number.

Key Factors

Kennedy is the cover mechanism. He got to the free-throw line 12 times against Maryland Eastern Shore, rebounded like a forward, and still found time to set up everyone else. Vanderbilt's Tanner is just as tidy going the other way, with 6 assists and no turnovers in his opener, so the guard battle decides whether this stays a game or becomes a parade. If Kennedy holds his own, Wake's possessions stay organized and the clock becomes the underdog's friend.

Vanderbilt's edge is depth and paint scoring. The Commodores scored 52 points in the paint against Bellarmine and shot 60 percent as a team, and Sebastian Williams-Adams grabbed 9 rebounds in 23 minutes. Wake cannot match that size across a full rotation, and if the game turns into layups and second chances, 17.5 stops looking big.

The honest counterpoint is that Vanderbilt might simply overwhelm a Wake defense that allowed 78.7 points a game last season. Bellarmine never made the Commodores uncomfortable, starter minutes stayed low, and a fresh ranked team at home can bury an opponent early. Wake's case rests on Kennedy keeping the ball, Placide scoring efficiently, and the Demon Deacons turning enough Vanderbilt mistakes into the easy points that keep a big spread honest.

Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.