Paul Finebaum: This Alabama basketball team will forever be remembered

It was a historic season for the Alabama basketball team, making the Final Four for the first time in program history. Even though the Crimson Tide came up short against the eventual national championship-winning UConn Huskies, it was still a team that deserves to be remembered.

SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum certainly appreciated the 2023-24 Alabama Crimson Tide and went on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning to talk about them and say they will be remembered forever.

“I thought it [UConn game] went very well for Alabama,” Paul Finebaum said. “They had to start off the way they did, and they did. They hit the threes and they were on fire and that was their one chance at winning, and I think if you had told Nate Oats, ‘Hey, tie game with just over 10 minutes to go, would you take it?’ He’d say, ‘Absolutely.'”

The Final Four game against UConn was only a two-possession game at the half and stayed tied deep into the second half before the Huskies were able to pull away and win by a more comfortable number than the majority of the game had been.

“They had a shot and that’s all they could ask for because, quite frankly, in many ways, they didn’t even belong in the Final Four. This was not a vintage team, but it turned out to be the greatest run in Alabama basketball history and I think this team will forever be remembered and I don’t think there’s a single Alabama fan who could be unhappy with the effort.”

The only complaint Finebaum has about the Final Four was the officials. UConn shot 18 free throws to 11 from Alabama during the game. However, the Huskies were called for 17 fouls to 15 fouls on the Crimson Tide.

“The only group of people that Alabama fans could be unhappy with, and that’s the officials, but that goes for a lot of games this year, especially as you go deep in the tournament it seems like the lower-seeded teams, depending on your perspective, never get calls in critical situations.”

Nate Oats reaffirms commitment to Alabama amid Kentucky job speculation

Head coach Nate Oats has done a phenomenal job at Alabama. That’s probably why he became a name that analysts tied to the open Kentucky job. However, he made sure to reaffirm his commitment to the Crimson Tide basketball program.

“Bama Nation,” Oats wrote.

“I am fully committed to this team and to this University, We have already accomplished some great things here, and there is nothing I want more than for The University of Alabama to win its first national championship in men’s basketball. Despite any rumors to the contrary, rest assured that I will continue that pursuit as your head coach. Roll Tide!”