Elite Eight Report: Slayed and dismayed

Amherst, N.Y. (Reuters) -- What was supposed to be a cakewalk for the Tax Slayers turned into Black Friday as the top-seeded North Carolina walked right into a War Eagle buzzsaw. The Slayers sitting in the catbird seat for most of this year's Calcutta are now Tiger Woods sitting in the clubhouse after posting a 65, but with only a one-shot lead and the world's best on the first tee.

It was an exciting round of Sweet Sixteen as the Jack Nicklaus-Arnold Palmer twosome made a charge with some very scary 3-seeds that have emerged on the back nine.  The Elders are here and they're not going away without a fight.

The Win-Docs, of all teams, look positioned to strike with favored 1-Gonzaga and 2-Kentucky headed into wins that will vault them into the lead heading to the final four.

Here's a capsule look at a Calcutta going into regional final weekend with only 3 points separating the top and bottom teams. Pete Rozelle would be proud of the Commish and the parity he's created in the 20 plus years of ye olde Calcutta.

The Yellow Jacket awaits....

Tax Slayers (9 points). Way to ruin my morning line brilliance, fellahs. They got caught counting the benjamins and ended up with Kelvin. Now they'll have to sit back and root for a Duke-Virginia final and a share of the title, which isn't totally out of the question. The dance is no longer in their control and they have a front row seat.

Just sayin...

Win-Doctors (8 points). Took sole possession of second place in a tightly-contested Calcutta. The Win-Docs move forward two squads (along with the Elders) into the Elite Eight and if they can ward off the upset bug, they could be looking at their seventh overall title and fourth outright. They go toe-to-toe with the Elders and Boyz to see who stagnates and who moves on.

Familiar Calcutta sight for the Win-Docs

Elder Statesmen (7 points). The old guys aren't exactly riding in Cinderella's coach, but they jumped in a slicked up Tesla in 3-Texas Tech and 3-Purdue in reaching the Elite Eight. Without an outright title since 2005, and a share since 2011, the Elders have cleared their voice and jumped into the thick of things ala Jack in the 1986 Masters. They're baaack.

Much love...

Commish & Assoc (7 points). Biggest Elite Eight tilt of the night and a two-point lead with the ball and 30 seconds left would have traded places with the Win-Docs, but 3-Houston's season ended on a 7-0 Kentucky run and left the Commish with only a Sparty title run with hopes of capturing their second ever title and second in three years. 1-Duke lays in wait after two tough games.

A guy can only hope...

 Counselors (6 points). First complete casualty of the 2019 Calcutta. I'm sure the Va Tech's player's face looked exactly like Baki's after missing the chippy at the buzzer. Sayonara, legal boys.

Thanks for coming....

Amigos (6 points). 1-Virginia playing solid ball, but the waters start to get deeper now with a big matchup with 3-Purdue tonight. Need a championship run and a bunch of other stuff to happen. Will be rooting for Duke, Texas Tech and Auburn this weekend, while taking care of their own bidness.

We're still shootin, pards...

Bunch of Chieftans. (6 points). Similar to the Amigos, they'll be rooting for the same squads this weekend and a Duke-Virginia ACC matchup in the national championship game. Two nail-biters for Coach K's Zionists have CBS's team poised for a title run. Like the Amigos, they can only share the title, but you know they'll do anything to try and keep the Win-Docs at bay.

Peace out, Duke haters...

On to the Elite Eight......Final Four report and probables on Sunday night.