| MATCHUP | Vanderbilt Commodores | Western Kentucky Hilltoppers |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 5-0 | 4-0 |
| Where | Imperial Arena, Nassau, Bahamas | |
| When | Wednesday, November 26, 2025 | |
| Time | 12:00 PM EST | |
| TV | ESPN | |
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the Vanderbilt Commodores meet Wednesday in college basketball action from Imperial Arena. Here’s a Western Kentucky vs Vanderbilt prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Western Kentucky vs Vanderbilt pick. We will examine the recent form and player performances for both teams, as well as the recent betting trends and streaks pertaining to this matchup. As we conclude, we will tie it all together with a summary that produces a sensible pick for a favorable betting outcome in this game.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Betting Preview
The Hilltoppers haven’t been super busy thus far in the 2025-26 season; they’ve got just four games in the bag up to this point. The good news is that Western Kentucky has recorded wins in all four of those, starting with a 12-point win over Tennessee Tech in the opener. Game two was another win over Eastern Kentucky, then the Hilltoppers beat Tennessee State 95-82. In their most recent outing, Western Kentucky notched a blowout victory over Bethel TN.
In the game last Tuesday versus Bethel TN, the Hilltoppers went into halftime with a dominant 44-26 edge. Western Kentucky didn’t let up in a 53-41 second half and took the blowout victory 97-67 in the end. Grant Newell was tops on the team with 16 points and two rebounds in 16 minutes of work, while Teagan More had 15 points with five assists and four rebounds. Kade Unseld added 15 points in 19 minutes of work as well.
Vanderbilt Commodores Betting Preview
Over on the Vanderbilt side, they’ve got five games in the books this year. Similarly, the Commodores are unblemished up to this point as well. Vanderbilt breezed past Lipscomb in their opener, then had a closer game (but still a win) versus Central Florida in their second outing. Game three was a blowout win over Eastern Kentucky, likewise for game four versus Arkansas-Pine Bluff. In their latest game the Commodores got past Texas Southern without too much difficulty for a nice 5-0 start to the season.
Matched up against Texas Southern last Thursday, the Commodores went into the second half leading by an inflated 60-33 margin. Vanderbilt got better from there on a 49-41 run and took the win 109-74 in blowout fashion. Topping the team with 20 points apiece were Tyler Nickel (five rebounds; two assists) and Tyler Tanner (two rebounds; seven assists). Devin McGlockton added 14 points with six boards and Duke Miles had 12 points with five assists and four boards in the winning effort.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers @ Vanderbilt Commodores Betting Trends: November 26, 2025
Why the Vanderbilt Commodores will win
- Vanderbilt has won 10 of its last 11 games when playing with a rest disadvantage.
- Western Kentucky has lost each of its last three games against the Southeastern Conference.
- Western Kentucky has lost the first half in each of its last three games against the Southeastern Conference.
Why the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will win
- Western Kentucky has won eight of its last nine day games against non-Conference opponents.
- Vanderbilt has lost 18 of its last 24 games against non-Conference opponents at neutral venues.
- Vanderbilt has lost the first half in 10 of its last 13 day games played at neutral venues.
Western Kentucky vs Vanderbilt Prediction
I’ll stick with Vanderbilt. This should be a pretty fun matchup, though. The Commodores had no issues whatsoever with a winless Texas Southern team in their last outing. Vanderbilt shot a smooth 53.4 percent from the field with a 38-17 rebounding advantage and just six turnovers. The 44-20 edge on points in the paint was helpful, as were the 28 team assists and 10 steals. Vanderbilt has been bombing in the points this year: they’ve got 92 or more in every game and 104 or more in four of five.
As for Western Kentucky, they shot 42.9 percent with a 39-34 rebounding advantage and 12 turnovers in their latest win over Bethel TN. The Hilltoppers have been pretty darn good on the scoreboard themselves, notching 82 or more points in all four games and 95 or more in consecutive outings. If both teams play well we should have a high-scoring shootout on our hands.