Navy Midshipmen vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons Picks and Predictions for Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Use Code WWWC Β The Navy Midshipmen will be on the road Wednesday night with a game in Winston-Salem, NC, at 7:00 PM against the Wake Forest demon deacons in round one of the NIT tournament, and we have you ready to roll with our Navy vs Wake Forest prediction.Β The Navy finished the regular season with 26 wins and seven losses. Wake Forest returns home Wednesday night with 17 wins and 16 losses this year. The Navy comes into this matchup having won four of the last five, following a one-point loss in their last outing. Wake Forest has won three of the last five after a nine-point loss to Clemson in the ACC tournament. Read more about this Navy vs Wake Forest prediction! Struggling with handicapping? Try ourΒ NCAAB Predictions!
Navy hunts the upset
The Navy offense has carried the team this season every 34.7 points on 40% shooting from the floor. Defensively, the Navy is allowing 63.8 points per game through 33 games this season. Offensively, Navy did score the ball well in their last outing, pouring in 72 points on 43% shooting from the floor. Defensively, Navy was outmatched, giving up 73 points as Boston University shot 55% from the floor and 46% from beyond the arc. The Navy won the rebounding battle by 5, but turned the ball over 4 times in the loss.
Austin Benigni leads the Navy offense this season, averaging 18 points and 4.4 assists per game. Big man Aidan Keho is 2nd on the roster, averaging 15.4 points to go along with the team's leading 10.9 rebounds per game. Jinwoo Kim averages 9.9 points, and Donovan Draper is averaging 8.7 points in nearly 27 minutes per game.
Key Injury Report for Navy:
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- None
Wake Forest looks to defend its home floor
The Wake Forest offense has been top-tier this season, averaging 30.8 points on 45% shooting from the floor, but the Demon Deacons averaged only 66 points per game during their last two losses. Defensively, Wake Forest has allowed 77.1 points per game this season. Offensively, Wake Forest struggled immensely in their last outing, scoring 62 points on 44% shooting from the floor. Defensively, Wake Forest was outmatched, giving up 71 points, including 41 in the second half, as Clemson shot 41% from the floor. Wake Forest lost the rebounding battle by 7 and turned the ball over 12 times in the game.
Juke Harris leads the Wake Forest offense this season with 21.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Myles Colvin averages 11.6 points, and TreβVon Spillers is averaging 10.8 points per game. Nate Calmese is 4th on the roster, averaging 10.5 points per game this season, but he has played just 24 times.
Key Injury Report for Wake Forest:
- Nate Calmese (Questionable) β Undisclosed
- Marqus Marion (Questionable) - Chest
Navy vs Wake Forest Pick
- Navy vs Wake Forest Spread Pick
The Navy has had the better season coming into this matchup, but Wake Forest will have the edge on Wednesday. The demon deacons will have depth and talent, along with their home crowd, in this matchup. Take Wake Forest to use their better office to pull off the win on Wednesday night to advance in the NIT tournament. Navy, however, has a superior defense that will keep things close enough to cover the big number. The demon deacons get the win on Wednesday night, but Navy will cover in North Carolina.
- Navy vs Wake Forest Over/Under Pick
Both teams score well, but Navy has an elite defense that they will count on in this matchup. Look for Wake Forest to dig in defensively, and they should overpower Navy from the opening minutes. Takeaways for us to do the job as they get the victory, but the Navy defense will keep things tight throughout. Take the under on Wednesday night as Wake Forest gets the round one win.
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