The New Haven Chargers take on the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville, TN. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.
Vanderbilt is favored by 41.5 points on the spread, and the total is set at 143.5 points.
Here’s my New Haven vs. Vanderbilt predictions and college basketball picks for December 29, 2025.
New Haven vs Vanderbilt Prediction
My Pick: New Haven +41.5 (Play to +34.5)
My New Haven vs Vanderbilt best bet is on the Chargers against the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
New Haven vs. Vanderbilt Odds
| New Haven Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+41.5 -105 | 143.5 -110 / -110 | OFF |
| Vanderbilt Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-41.5 -115 | 143.5 -110 / -110 | OFF |
- New Haven vs Vanderbilt spread: Vanderbilt -41.5
- New Haven vs Vanderbilt over/under: 143.5 points
New Haven vs Vanderbilt College Basketball Betting Preview
New Haven Basketball
We've had some real heartwarming stories about non-Division I teams jumping up and competing right away. However, New Haven isn't one of those teams.
The Chargers are 5-7 with three of their wins coming against non-Division I teams.
New Haven will look to play slow, sitting 337th in adjusted tempo. Defense is also the strength of the Chargers' attack. They rank 283rd in defensive efficiency and force turnovers at an 18% clip.
They do the little things well, ranking top-125 in defensive rebounding rate and KenPom's FTA/FGA metric.
There's no sugarcoating it, though: This New Haven team is severely lacking in the talent department. We don't need the Chargers to win; we don't even need them to keep it remotely close. Just slow the game down enough and defend well to keep the game within 40.
The Chargers have been more competitive than you'd think against high-major foes. They lost to UConn by 24, Penn State by 43 (well, that one wasn't so good), Seton Hall by 23 and Boston College by four.
The biggest problem for New Haven is scoring. It's the primary reason why playing slow suits the Chargers best. They rank 358th out of 365 Division I teams in offensive efficiency and 362nd with a 25% 3-point percentage.
New Haven has three players averaging double-digit points. Guard Jabri Fitzpatrick leads the team with 12 points per game, but he's struggled against high-major foes.
The one bright spot in those matchups is Andre Pasha, who scored 13+ points in three of four high-major games. The 6-foot-9 forward can stretch teams out, and he's a stout player.
The key in this matchup is limiting turnovers. They give the ball away 20% of the time, but the key to slowing Vanderbilt down is not allowing its pesky guards to swipe the ball away.
Vanderbilt Basketball
Vanderbilt is one of the most pleasant surprises in college basketball. The Commodores — barring the upset of the century — will enter league play with a 13-0 record.
The Commodores are terrific on both ends of the floor. They'll aim to push the pace, ranking 44th in adjusted tempo.
They're one of the best teams in the country in both offensive and defensive efficiency, ranking in the top 15 in both categories. The Commodores emphasize shooting, attempting 3s on 46% of their field goals while connecting on 37% of them.
The ability to space the floor and drill shots also allows Vanderbilt to hit 62% from inside the arc.
Mark Byington has a three-headed monster in the backcourt to lead the offense. Duke Miles is the worst shooter of the three, but shooting 35% is nothing to sneeze at. He's an elite driver and gets to the foul line a ton and leads Vandy with 17.5 points per game.
The duo of Tyler's are the two most important players on the squad. Tyler Tanner is a small guard who defends at an elite level and averages 15.4 points a night. Meanwhile, Tyler Nickel is one of the best shooters in the country.
Also, Vanderbilt will be short-handed for the foreseeable future with Frankie Collins suffering a meniscus injury. Collins isn't a starter or big-time scorer, but he's a vital role player who averaged seven points, four rebounds and assists per game. You can't really replace that.
New Haven vs. Vanderbilt Betting Analysis
Begrudgingly, I'm rolling with New Haven taking the points.
Vanderbilt has just one win by more than 35 points, and that was against Lipscomb. That was the ideal matchup for the Dores to erupt for a huge blowout since Lipscomb plays fast, just like Vandy.
All the Chargers need to do is slow the game down and keep it fairly close enough to cover.
My Pick: New Haven +41.5 (Play to +34.5)
