Egg Bowl: Basketball edition

Here at Le Cup, we try to push the envelope as far as our out of the box thinking in coverage of Ole Miss sports. 

However, there are two things I can guarantee I will never do while writing for this blog:

1.) Take the Lord's name in vain

2.) Pick Mississippi State to beat Ole Miss in a sporting event

That's right. Even though our basketball team has dealt with more health issues than an episode of ER, we played like we wanted to win against Kentucky and today I expect a similar effort. 

Not because Mississippi State basketball has as much prestige as Kentucky...that's a laughable notion. Terrico and Malcolm White saw their stellar play on Sportscenter during their last game and realized they can play and be dominant in this conference. Plus, I just really hate Mississippi State with every cell in my body.

Playing at the Hump is not easy, however. I've witnessed firsthand our Rebels get pounded in Starkville while the maroon and white fans made it deafening to play on their court. Our young players are going to get experience up to their necks today against State.

Their student section is planning to dress like Arabs with turbans, mustaches, etc. and the band is going to play "You've Lost that Loving Feeling" to poke fun at Andy Kennedy. Bring on the motivation, that's what I say. I would hope some of our students would do the same thing if Rick Stansbury was in the news. 

I've always felt basketball is a game about who wants to win. If you scrape and claw every play on defense, you can keep any game close enough to pull off an upset. State is 14-6 (4-1 SEC) in the SEC while Ole Miss is 11-9 (2-4 SEC). Two of the home losses the Bulldogs endured were to fundamentally sound mid-major teams: Charlotte and San Diego. 

Ole Miss played very fundamentally sound against the Wildcats, and they need every break to go their way to win today. 

Mississippi State's line-up:

F Jarvis Varnado- 13 ppg, arms like a windmill

F Ravern Johnson- 12.5 ppg, star of yet to be released sitcom "That's So Ravern"

G Barry Stewart- Jr. shoots nearly 36% from behind the arc

G Dee Bost- Frosh from NC has nearly two assists for every turnover

G Phil Turner- averaged 15.5 ppg against 'Bama and Vandy at the Hump

Terrico, Malcolm and DAHVEED need to go off for 60 again. If the three's aren't dropping though, we're in for a very long game.

Final prediction: Ole Miss 74 MSU 70