Navy (26-7) vs. Wake Forest (17-16) March 18, 2026 7:00 pm EDT The Line: Wake Forest -12.5; Over/Under: 148.5 (Get latest betting odds)
In this article, we will formulate a Navy vs Wake Forest Prediction for this NIT 1st Round matchup on Wednesday, March 18 th . Let’s take a look at the prediction for this college basketball matchup.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons have a 17-16 overall record and a 7-11 record in the ACC conference. They are coming off a 71-62 loss against Clemson and their previous three games were a 95-89 win against Virginia Tech, an 80-73 win against California and a 75-70 loss against Virginia.
Offensively, Wake Forest averages 78.8 points per game, while allowing 76.1 points per game defensively. The Demon Deacons shoot with 45% from the field and grab 33.2 rebounds per game, while dishing out 14.3 assists per game. They average 3.5 blocks per game and 7.8 steals per game defensively.
Juke Harris leads Wake Forest in scoring, with an average of 21.3 points per game, while shooting with 44.4% from the field and 78.1% from the free throw line, adding a team-high 6.5 rebounds. Sebastian Akins leads the team in assists with 1.9 per game.
The Navy Midshipmen have a 26-7 overall record and a 17-1 record in the Patriot League conference. They are coming off a 73-72 loss against Boston University and their previous three games were a 74-69 win against Bucknell, an 85-69 win against Colgate and a 78-51 road win against Loyola Maryland.
Offensively, Navy averages 74.7 points per game, while allowing 63.6 points per game defensively. The Midshipmen shoot with 48% from the field and grab 36.6 rebounds per game, while dishing out 16.3 assists per game. They average 3.2 blocks per game and 7.7 steals per game defensively.
Austin Benigni leads Navy in scoring, with an average of 18 points per game, while shooting with 42% from the field and 88.6% from the free throw line, adding a team-high 4.4 assists. Aidan Kehoe is the team’s leading rebounder with 10.9 per game.
In this Navy vs Wake Forest Prediction, Wake Forest is coming as -12.5 home favorites. Navy had a far better record both overall and against the spread this season but they were in a far easier conference. They are 9-1 in their last 10 games and 8-2 against the spread, while Wake Forest is 3-4 in its last 7 games but 7-3 against the spread. Navy has the 5 th -best defense in the entire nation and even though they had a far easier schedule, they are being undervalued by the books in this spot as they are also 10-4 ATS on the road, while Wake Forest is 8-10 ATS at home. Take Navy and get the +12.5 points as I totally expect them to keep this one close.