It's almost go-time for the Syracuse Orange and the West Virginia Mountaineers, but what do we really know about Huggins' hosses? We need an expert to tell us what to think and why we should be afraid.

That's why The Smoking Musket is here. SB Nation's West Virginia blog (Insert Requisite Internet Access in West Virginia Joke Here) answers my questions and helps up prepare for Saturday's showdown.

Read along as you remember where the Schwartzwalder Trophy sits right now...

The Mountaineers seem to be a different team every time I turn around. Which one is stepping into the Dome Saturday?

If I could predict that, I'd be a rich man by now. Playing so many young guys combined with inconsistent veterans like Truck Bryant and Deniz Kilicli will do that to you, though. I honestly wasn't all that shocked by the poor game against St. John's because I knew we were due for one. Now that we got it out of our system, I could see us coming to Syracuse with some of our hunger back. But even at that point, I don't like the way we match up. Some folks at ESPN.com picked us to upset the Orange if Kevin Jones can get hot from the baseline and the elbow. I'm not so sure that will happen, though. But if you pressed me, I think we give a spirited effort and at least play hard.

At the end of the day, if you can hit threes, you're going to give SU a tough time. Can Truck Bryant get it together enough to be that rainmaker?

He's certainly capable of getting hot enough to be that guy for WVU. And I thought at the end of the St. John's game he showed signs of emerging from his shooting funk. But at the same time, he could go 0-9 with 6 turnovers and WVU could lose by 40. The Mountaineers are crossing their collective fingers that Good Truck shows up.

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The odds of Fab Melo playing tomorrow when the Syracuse Orange take on the West Virginia Mountaineers don't look too good. But...no one can say for sure.

ESPN reported earlier today that, "according to a Syracuse spokesman, coach Jim Boeheim said Thursday night that Melo's situation is taking longer to resolve than anticipated." That's not actually reporting, that's just making a seperate SU representative "comment" on what Boeheim has already said and then making it sound like it's some kind of update from that representative.

It's no surprise that SU has no comment on the comment of the comment.

Donna Ditota addressed the situation in her chat today on Syracuse.com:

I know this will not make anyone happy, but there is no official word about Fab. I have been told it will be awhile before his situation is settled. Jim Boeheim said last night on his radio show that it was unlikely (not sure if that is his exact word) that Fab will play tomorrow.

Still, it's probably true. She did add that Melo is still practicing with the team, so it's not like he's been banned from all basketball-related activities or anything. He just can't play.

And so, don't expect Fab to grace us with his presence Saturday. Rakeem Christmas showed a lot of promise against Cincinnati but we'll know a lot more about his growth after this one. A good game does not a solid replacement make. Two good games could at least prove a trend. Nation of Orange thinks Christmas' growth could be the silver lining of all this.

Since Melo will be out, the upset alarms are sounding around the country. Never louder than with ESPN's John Gasaway, who is quickly climbing to the top of the #AddHimToTheList list by predicting an Orange loss and dropping SU to fifth in his power rankings.

Wayne Morgan Tells Fizz Penn State Too Late, Still Just Syracuse vs. UConn : Orange Fizz
PSU actually has not even offered Morgan, but will heavily pursue the Erasmus Hall product until Wednesday. The senior also has no plans to cram in a visit to State College this weekend. Penn State is a day late and a dollar short, and the speedy DB says he’s not considering a late switch.

Syracuse is flawed, but is that fatal? | The Juice Online
Every team has flaws. What makes a team a championship team is being able to overcome those shortcomings for six games in a row. What’s great about this team is the flaws aren’t really that bad in comparison to the teams of the past. So, I’m back on the bandwagon. Until Saturday.

Syracuse Preview: I've Got Some Good News & Some Bad News - The Smoking Musket
Here’s some bad news: The Carrier Dome will be packed and loud. There is nothing going on in Syracuse this weekend, it is cold and snowing. The school announced that as of Thursday it had sold 27,500 tickets, which would be the highest attended NCAA Division 1 basketball game this year. It is conceivable that by game time they will exceed the attendance that they had for three of their football games this year.

Where's Melo? Find Fab Melo and win....a beer. | Carolina Orange
Now go find Melo. And if you find him, let me know. I’ll buy you a beer when I’m in your neck of the woods.

Staring Down The Musket At...The Syracuse Orange - The Smoking Musket
The Notre Dame game was just like you said...the Irish controlled it from start to finish. I suppose we were due for one of those games when you play terrible and your opponent shoots the lights out. Given that we also had to play with[out] Fab Melo, it's no wonder that Notre Dame's requisite large ugly white guy ran wild.

Episode 11 ..::.. Newark Coach Diane Kirnie | Upstate Hoops Podcast
Brad was in Cincinnati for Syracuse’s Big Monday win over UC and he joins us for another edition of Conner’s Corner.

Syracuse Orange Basketball - The Silvering Lining In Fab Melo's Absence
Imagine a Syracuse team with Fab back in the middle, and Christmas on the wing playing with more confidence and displaying the type of rebounding we've seen in Fab's absence. A team that now can rebound with anyone, and has multiple guys attacking the glass with success. It improves the defense (which was already one of the best in the country), limits the opposing team's possessions, and allows the transition game to work better. Syracuse was one of the best team's in the country before Fab's issue. Without Fab, they are still a very good team. But when he comes back, they could be even better than they were before he left.

High school coach says Syracuse University recruit Josh Manley will stay Orange | syracuse.com
Howie DeCristofaro said this morning that Manley, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound senior who made a verbal commitment to the Orange several weeks ago, would not take a visit to the Columbia school that is leaving the Big 12 to join the Southeastern Conference. DeCristofaro said he and Manley talked, and that the player's verbal pledge to sign a national letter-of-intent with SU next Wednesday appears solid.

Syracuse Recruiting Update: Jerami Grant faces tough test tonight | syracuse.com
Jerami Grant, 6-8, F, DeMatha (Md.): Grant is averaging 12.1 points per game for the Stags (17-2). DeMatha was the No. 3 team in the country in the USA Today Super 25 rankings but dropped out after two losses in its last four games.

Interview: Former ‘Cuse Player Ross Diliegro | The Great Rabbino | Jewish Journal
These days I work as an energy consultant in NYC, helping companies and buildings become energy efficient, sustainable, and green. Besides playing for team USA in the Pan-American Maccabi games a few weeks ago, the extent of my basketball playing is limited to rec leagues and pickup games in the city.

Syracuse University put together a Tribute video for the 50th anniversary of Ernie Davis winning the Heisman Trophy.

Ernie Davis Tribute from David C. Weldon Jr on Vimeo.

The No. 3 Syracuse Orange basketball team welcomes the West Virginia Mountaineers to the Carrier Dome at 1 p.m. ET Saturday. It sounds like Fabricio Melo will miss his third-consecutive game so it's going to be Rakeem Christmas Time again.

The game will be televised on ESPNU, so get on that.

Check the list below to see where Syracuse fans are gathering in your neighborhood and let me know anything needs to be changed, updated or added.

Heads up, Buffalo folks. The Buffalo/Western New York Syracuse Alumni Club is meeting exclusively at Brick House Tavern, so stick to that.

Use Foursquare? The Syracuse University iSchool has taken the official alumni spots below and compiled a handy list of spots in your city. Check in when you get there and find just one more way to prove you're a better Syracuse Orange fan than the one next to you.

Albany, NY - Jessica Stone's

Albany, NY - Barrel Saloon

Anchorage, AK - Peanut Farm

Astoria, NY - Daly's Pub

Atlanta, GA - Hudson Grille (Sandy Springs, official alumni spot)

Baltimore, MD - DogWatch Tavern

Boston, MA - Pour House (official alumni spot)

Buffalo, NY - Brick House Tavern (official alumni spot)

Burlington, VT - Ake's Place

Canastota, NY - Leandro's Restaurant and Sports Bar

Camarillo, CA - Ric's Restautant & Sports Lounge

Charlotte, NC - Dilworth Neighborhood Grille

Chicago, IL - Gamekeepers (official alumni spot)

Cicero, NY - Buffalo Wild Wings

Clarksville, TN - Buffalo Wild Wings

Columbus, OH - Buffalo Wild Wings

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I was looking to create a distraction for us after the Fab kerfuffle and Notre Dame disaster. Never in a million years did I expect the much greater distraction of new Nike Hyper Uber Platinum Super Fun Fantastic Platinum Elite uniforms. Indeed the best photo shopping of the week comes as a result of the unveiling, as seen in this excellent post by Brando415.

We were also treated to Mookie Jones's entire hip hop discography, courtesy of StrawHatGuy's incredibly busy graphic design department. StrawHatGuy also treated us to a photobomb of some great James Southerland face, which Jeepers44 was more than happy to continue.

We did have some entries in this week's Challenge. Kind of. OK, I did them all. There is one very special submission from Jay, that hearkens back to a simpler time before indefinite academic issues and team departures.

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Will the ACC have the 2014 football divisional alignment on the agenda at its winter meetings in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. next week? Apparently so, says SBNation's BC Interruption (with the scoop from the Newport News Daily Press). As a refresher for those of you (most) who may be unfamiliar with our future league's current setup, the divisions are laid out as follows:

Atlantic: Boston College | Clemson | Florida State | Maryland | NC State | Wake Forest

Coastal: Duke | Georgia Tech | Miami | North Carolina | Virginia | Virginia Tech

As you may have noticed, there is little rhyme or reason to the setup above, as it exists for the sole purpose of matching up Virginia Tech or Miami against Florida State in the ACC Championship Game every year (hasn't happened much). And yet, our new Carolina-based overlord John Swofford seems alright with just leaving things as is, and plugging Pittsburgh into one division, with Syracuse going to the other.

For what it's worth, the Orange appear to be a wanted commodity. SBNation's Gobbler Country wants us to join them in the Coastal Division, for no other reason but to set up an inter-divisional match-up with Pitt each year (rather than their current trek to Boston every other). Boston College, as has been well documented, would love for us to join them in the Atlantic, so we can rekindle one of the northeast's best gridiron rivalries. I, for one, also love that option, if just for the fact that it's typically easier sledding in the Atlantic (as long as FSU's having a down year).

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The Syracuse Orange will take on the West Virginia Mountaineers this Saturday (ESPNU) and it's starting to look more and more like they'll have to do it without Fabricio de Melo. If that's the case, so be it.

The Big East is a weird, tangled mess, so no Syracuse fan should feel safe either way going into the game. Even if the Mounties are coming off a butt-thumping at the hands of the 9-11 St. John's Red Storm.

The 'Neers are 15-6 and 6-4 in their last ten. Their losses veer from understood (Baylor, UConn) to strange (St. John's, Kent State). Coach and sweatsuit aficionado Bob Huggins is hoping that Fab Melo's academic troubles keep him out of the game so they can avoid another one of those losses:

"The reality is we are going to go play Syracuse and if Fab Melo is back they’re the best team in the country," said WVU coach Bob Huggins.

It's all about Kevin Jones for WVU. He's scored 20 or more points in five-straight games, including 26 against St. John's. He's averaging 20.9 points per game and 11.9 rebounds per game on the season.

Second-leading scorer Darryl "Truck" Bryant (17.4) is in the midst of a slump, which is a good thing considering he's a three-point threat. Averaging seven three-point attempts every game, he's only make two or three of them in that time.

The No. 3 Orange need to keep the momentum going from the Cincinnati win. Syracuse is 14-0 at the Carrier Dome this season, making the Orange the lone team in the Big East with a perfect home record. They'd like to keep that intact as well. SU owns a 33-16 lead in the all-time series.

The rich history of Syracuse Orange basketball players who pass through the Reno Bighorns organization on their way to greatness is legendary.

Never more so than when Gerry McNamara, Damone Brown and Donte Greene all teamed up in the Biggest Little City in the World to make the Biggest Little Magic on the Court. Of course, their lives went in very different directions after that, but the point is, Bighorns 4 Life.

The Syracuse world got a little more Horny this week when the Idaho Stampede traded Eric Devendorf to the Bighorns.

"It's just another opportunity to try to take advantage of," Devendorf said. "So hopefully I can do that."

This isn't Devo's first rideo with the 'Horns. He joined the team in December 2009 and was promptly cut three games later. Hopefully he leaves a more lasting impression this time around.

Devo joins a roster that includes DePaul's Bobby Simmons and a whole bunch of people I've never heard of. He's expected to join the team in time for Saturday's game against Springfield.

We almost had a Devo-Paul Harris reunion this Sunday when Reno takes on Maine but Harris was waived by the Red Claws last week.