FINAL FOUR REPORT: Slayers clinch 2023 Calcutta crown

AMHERST – Backed by a record-tying three teams advancing to the Final Four, the Slayers put away the 2023 Calcutta in dominating fashion. The Slayers lived up to their morning line favorite role with their three squads winning in each round to head to the Final Four with 12 wins and back-to-back titles. It will be their sixth title (third outright) since 1999 and the yellow jacket will stay home in 2023.

They tie the Bunch of Chieftans (2014) for advancing three teams to the Final Four. That year the Chieftans set the all-time win record with 16.

The Slayers used the final five minutes to springboard wins from their Florida-based teams. FAU got hot late on Saturday night to eliminate the higher seed Wildcats (Chieftans) and Miami trailing for most of the game stormed back to set Calcutta history with the big win against Texas (Commish).

The battle now is for second-place between the Counselors (10) and the Win-Docs (9) who snuck into the Final weekend with 5-San Diego State outlasting the BJs on a sucky last second call.  The Win-Docs have outplayed their odds, but need a win in the national semis to tie and in the natty to take sole control of the placing.

The Counselors had a rough weekend with both teams losing and hopes of catching the Slayers slipped away with the Creighton loss. “I object,” motioned Counselor co-owner Mark Aquino, but the objection fell on deaf ears and the jury rested.

The Chieftans failed to menace and will finish out of the money. Sad day, indeed. Never not funny.

A disappointing last-place finish (along with the Amigos) resulted from the Longhorn collapse in the final 10 minutes, squandering a 13-point second half lead and all but handing the Slayers the title and putting the Win-Docs out of reach from a miracle finish.

Here are the eight scenarios and payouts heading to Houston for the Final Four:

UConn or Miami over San Diego State

Slayers $1,200

Win-Docs $400

Counselors $400

UConn or Miami over FAU 

Slayers $1,200

Counselors $500

Win-Docs $300 

FAU over UConn or Miami 

Slayers $1,200

Counselors $500

Win-Docs $300

San Diego State over UConn or Miami

Slayers $1,000

Win-Docs $700

Counselors $300

ELITE EIGHT REPORT: Counselors, Slayers duking it out for top spot

 

Amherst – The 2023 Calcutta has had as many twists and turns as any in recent history. Without a No. 1 seed advancing to the Elite Eight for the first time in history a lot of auction dollars went out the window in the Sweet Sixteen.

The race for Calcutta glory is basically down to two teams who have five of the eight remaining teams left in the Counselors and the Slayers.  The Chieftans and Win-Docs will need to run the table to have an outside shot at the title.  The all-time Calcutta win record set by the Chieftans in 2014 of 16 is safe as the max count if both teams win out is 15 wins.

All rise for the Counselors, who are the leader in the clubhouse heading into regional final weekend headlined by two powerful squads in 3-Gonzaga and 6-Creighton. They’ll even go head-to-head with the Slayers tonight at 8:49 p.m. EDT when the Zags face 4-UConn in a major tilt that has Calcutta title ramifications written all over it. Currently the solicitors are trying to end the longest current title drought as their last title came in 2012.

The barristers drafted well and their 4-1 morning line as the second-choice has held up well. The Blue Jays looked dominant in taking down their frisky Ivy League opponent 15-Princeton (Boyz), but the nerds had no answer for the BJ big guy.

Sitting in second-place one win behind the Firm are the Slayers who advanced three teams to the Elite Eight and (checks history books) could set tie a Calcutta record (2014, Chieftans) if all three win and get to the Final Four. Let’s give a HOOT HOOT to the Slayers for the 9-FAU pick that has worked out nicely so far. The boys from Boca will try and keep their Cinderella shoes on versus 3-Kansas State in the Garden.  5-Miami will join FAU as underdogs, but the Hurricanes are the longest shot at -4 in Vegas of the three remaining teams for the Slayers.

The Chieftans are hanging around with Kansas State, but took a tough “L” with the boys from Cincinnati who just couldn’t hang with the nasty Longhorns (Commish), the current second choice (+360) to win it all behind UConn (+320) [Source: DraftKings Sportsbook].  No sad Indian face [yet].

The Win-Docs cruised into the South Final with the Aztecs who took down the No. 1 seed in the tourney in Louisville. They sit tied with the Chieftans in third and hoping for a little Aztec voodoo to keep pace in an attempt to hit the board and avoid the shutout.

The Catholic Boyz got the goose egg in the Sweet Sixteen failing to advance Cinderella 15-Princeton and No. 1 seed Houston who were hoping to get some home cookin' in the Final Four. They will be sitting in the back pew for the remainder of the tourney.

The Elders were the first to exit the tourney on Thursday night when the 4-Tennessee Vols gave up a lead to the upstart Owls in the world’s most famous arena. “They were out 20 minutes after the early bird special ended,” said Amigos co-owner Scott Sutherland.

Speaking of the Amigos, it’s that time we all highly anticipate every year…wait for it…here it comes...

It was Adios to the Amigos and top seed Alabama, who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Mired in the basement, the Amigos suspect draft strategy of "go big or go home," has sent them packing once again.

The Commish played spoiler taking down the Chieftans and can hope to move up the ladder with a potential national champion cash with the Longhorns and avoid a last-place finish after back-to-back titles.

Final Four Report and the final scenarios will be out Monday.  Good luck all.

 

Wild First Round in wide open Calcutta

 

Four teams share early lead

AMHERST – In a wild and wooly first round that saw a 16-seed upset 1-Purdue and 2-Arizona and 4-Virginia making early tee times, the 2023 Calcutta got off to a rousing start. 

Four teams (Win-Docs, Catholic Boyz, Counselors and Chieftans) are tied atop the leaderboard with three other squads within a point or two.  It has the makings of possibly the most competitive Calcutta in years.

The Win-Docs were rolling early with hopes of setting Calcutta history with a first round sweep. Going 4-0 on Thursday, the Docs were surgically moving through its early opponents with precision. St. Patty’s Day rolled around however, and the Docs went 1-3, but didn’t slip down the leaderboard.  5-Duke’s region is suddenly wide open and a big matchup with 5-Tenessee (Elders) on Saturday could vault them and the Docs into the Sweet Sixteen with a good chance to have three horses still in the race.

The Catholic Boyz also had a big Thursday holding serve with their top seeds and taking advantage of an upset by 15-Princeton over 2-Arizona (Slayers). The Boyz are back in town was heard playing in the Calcutta once again and today could decide whether they can start distancing themselves from the rest of the pack with four teams in action. A big matchup between 2-Marquette taking on 7-Michigan State (Counselors) looms on Sunday for two of the top teams to date.

 

The Counselors have started to rebound from last year’s debacle and after being shut out on Thursday, banged the gavel on Friday with five wins, none that were really in doubt.  They’ll be taking a recess today, but will come back strong on Sunday with strong arguments to be at the peak of the Calcutta by Sunday night. In addition to the big showdown with the Boyz, the 3-Gonzaga-TCU tilt with the Chieftans is another huge game amongst the leaders on Sunday.

 

Speaking of the Chieftans, they also had a big day, devouring their Friday opponents to tally four wins on the day and gain a slice of the lead. Surviving a 14-Kennesaw State (Commish) upset scare early in the afternoon, their top seeds mostly rolled. The 13-Furman buzzer beater was the difference for the Bunch, but they’ll play the underdog role in four of their five games slated for the Round of 32.  They’ll at least get an accidental win as they face off against themselves in the KSU-Kentucky fixture (that’s soccer talk).

 

Immediately behind the top four squads sits the Elders alone in fifth place one win behind and smarting from the 4-Virginia buzzer beater loss to the Chieftans (Furman). The old guys caned four opponents, but face an uphill battled as Tennessee heads up against a hot Duke squad and will face a 1 and 2 seed in two other contests. But don’t think the sextugenarian duo has started to shake their fists at the sky just yet.

 

Oh, Amigos….losing a top seed when all your eggs were in that basket. But, hey they had 16-FDU so all was not completely lost (close, though).  The Knights actually outplayed the Boilers all night and only need to beat a 9-seed to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.  They sit in sixth place tied with the Slayers with three wins. However, if Alabama rolls…… But if ifs and buts were candy and nuts we’d all have a merry Calcutta.   

 

The defending co-champs have some work to do. They face two difficult 4-5 games over the weekend and the Commish’s morning line “kiss of death” was being whispered around the office all morning on Thursday.  It’s unlikely the engraver will be putting the Slayers on the Chalise this year.

 

Sitting in his mom’s basement is the Commish. An agonizing Friday complete with a computer slam after the 9-FAU buzzer beater (Slayers getting revenge) and Kennesaw giving up a 13-point lead in the final 10 minutes puts the potential three-peat in serious jeopardy. Can only max out with 10 wins if Kansas or Texas run the table, so rooting for a whole lot of whupping up against each other up above.

 Enjoy the Round of 32 Calcuttians.