STATES BRAGGING RIGHTS

With College Football ending just a short week ago, it’s time to segue into what is already shaping up to be an incredibly entertaining College Basketball season.  Who saw FSU tarring & feathering the Heels by 33?

With the 2nd annual Original Retro Brand “High-5″ College Football contest officially ending last week too, it’s now time to segue into what will surely be an entertaining 2nd annual “What’s Your College Knowledge?” Basketball contest!

For those of you familiar with our aforementioned contests, you already know how this pick ‘em works.  For those of you just joining us, or for those who need a refresher, here are the rules:

1) Every Monday, I will post my 5 top college basketball games of the week and give you my predicted winners and why.

2) You will enter your picks for the same games (no point spreads; straight up wins & losses) in the “leave a reply/Comment” section at the end of this post no later than the following Wednesday by 6pm eastern standard time.  ****ONE ENTRY PER PERSON ONLY!!****

BEARS GET THE TIGERS BLOOD

3) Each following Monday I will announce which person picked the most winners, and that person will win a $50 Original Retro Brand Gift Card! In the event of a tie, all of the entries will be entered into a drawing to determine a winner.  It’s FREE, FUN, and that simple!

We’ll run this contest right up until the opening round for March Madness.  At that time we’ll step up our game with our 2nd annual “Bracket Ballers Challenge,” in which you’ll get the opportunity to test your picking prowess for the full bracket of 68 – $700 worth of Original Retro Brand gear will be up for grabs! Now let’s get this party started….

GAME 1:  1/17 – # 9 Michigan State (15-3) @ # 19 Michigan (14-4): Might as well start with the big in-state rivalry.  After Sparty dropped their first 2 games to UNC & DUKE respectively, Big Green reeled off 15 straight w’s, before being upset by Northwestern Saturday.  The Wolverines beat those same Wildcats just a few days before being upset by Iowa.  So who’s going to drop 2 straight?  Michigan.  Coach Tom Izzo will get MSU back in the win column in hostile territory.  SPARTANS – 56, WOLVERINES – 50.

COMMODORE'S COMMANDEER A VANDY VICTORY.

GAME 2: 1/21 – # 5 Missouri (16-1) @ # 3 Baylor (17-0): Sorry I couldn’t have tonight’s Baylor-Kansas game on the slate, but this is not a bad second choice.  My guess is the Bears will have a loss in their column when they host Mizzou this Saturday, and they will not lose a second straight game on their home court.  Perry Jones III is the sophomore stud who’ll lead the way.  BEARS – 63, TIGERS – 58.

GAME 3:  1/21 - # 15 Mississippi State (15-3) @ Vanderbilt (13-4): Vandy guard John Jenkins is scoring 20 points per game & will first take out Alabama on Thursday before heading home to repeat the feat versus the visiting Bulldogs.  I’m feeling the Commodores will give Kentucky and the rest of the SEC field a real run for the conference crown this year.  COMMODORES – 68, BULLDOGS – 60.

GAME 4:  1/21 – Alabama (13-4) @ # 2 Kentucky (17-1):  I hate to pour it on Alabama because they’re solid across the board, but this will end up being their 3rd straight defeat. Kentucky is just MORE solid, and “Big Blue Nation” will be vital in rolling the Tide right out of Rupp.  WILDCATS – 75, CRIMSON TIDE – 63.

RIP - TIDE, AT RUPP

GAME 5:  1/21 – # 21 Louisville (14-5) @ Pitt (11-7): If you think I felt badly for BAMA, I really feel badly for Pitt.  They take a 6 game losing streak into # 1 Syracuse at the Carrier Dome tonight (make that a 7 game losing streak).  Regardless, I am picking this game for my first upset special of the year!  I wouldn’t care if Louisville were 19-0 too because for this game, it’s all about the OAKLAND ZOO! PANTHERS – 55, CARDINALS – 52.

NO PITTFAIL

Clearly the Student cheering section for Pitt – The Oakland Zoo – can influence the outcome of any home Panther game.  Who do you think has the best student cheering section in the country?  Our friends at I Love College Hoops are giving you the opportunity to vote on the subject.  Cast your vote for the 2012 Naismith Student Section of the year.  Nearly 80 schools representing 21 Conferences are vying for the title.

We also have a new College Hoops poll over on the right, so place your vote over there, and then submit your picks for WEEK # 1 OF OUR “WHAT’S YOUR COLLEGE KNOWLEDGE?”!  Enjoy the action and GOOD LUCK!

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