It's official: 32 auto bids in 2014

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SelectionSunday

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Per Andy Katz, the American Athletic Conference (old Big East) will get an auto bid in 2013-14:

"The NCAA Board of Directors officially recognized and ratified the new Big East Conference and the name change of the old Big East to the American Athletic Conference. That means the NCAA tournament will officially have 32 automatic berths in 2014 and 36 at-large berths. It also means that everyone had better get used to the American conference because unless significant expansion occurs again, the American is here to stay."
 

Houw about 32 automatic slots and 32 at large slots? Lets get that bad boy back down to 64
 






The more likely scenario is the coaches will use the lost at-large berth as an excuse to lobby for expanding the field. Heaven forbid if we stick with one less at-large bid.
 

When was the last time a truly deserving team got left out anyway? The past ten years there's been issues filling in the final 4-6 slots because most bubble teams have been absolutely awful.
 

The bubble has been weak the last few years. No argument here.

But to be completely fair, in its three years of existence the First Four (last 4 at-larges) has produced three teams that won another game after the First Four, two of which advanced to at least the Sweet 16, VCU (2011) to the Final Four and La Salle (2013) to the Sweet 16. If nothing else, that might be proving that the Selection Committee is doing its job in terms of selecting the final few teams.
 



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