Paul Finebaum joined WJOX’s “McElroy and Cubelic In the morning” on Monday for his regular appearance, and he took on the storyline of Alabama men’s basketball dropping out of the NCAA Tournament.

“I’ll remember this team as arguably the best basketball team in Alabama history,” Finebaum said. “However, the public will not remember this team very fondly, and I say the public, I’m talking about outside area code 205 around the country. This will be a team and a program remembered for an absolute blown opportunity.”

Finebaum said Alabama had a straight shot to the Final Four.

“There’s no getting around blowing it on Friday night,” Finebaum said. “And it’s a concern because schools get reputations based on how they play in March, not what they do in November, not in the SEC basketball tournament. All of that was great for Alabama. But when it really mattered, and really the reputation of the program was on the line, they blew it. It may sound harsh to people, but it’s the reality.”

Finebaum pointed out that for 3 consecutive tournaments, Nate Oats’ teams have fallen to lower seeds, and that forms a reputation.