Paul Finebaum addresses SEC outrage in NCAA Tournament and issues warning to the league

In a historic move, the SEC has earned a record-breaking 14 berths into the 2025 NCAA Tournament, a feat that has sparked criticism against the league. However, Paul Finebaum believes the real story will only unfold depending on how teams perform in the bracket from now until April 7th.

On Monday’s McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, Finebaum weighed in on the backlash surrounding the SEC’s unprecedented success in earning 14 tournament spots. He suggested that much of the criticism is already falling on deaf ears, given that the field is now set, and most SEC teams are already in.

“It’s mostly falling on deaf ears, but there’s so many different layers to the NCAA Tournament. This is, this is the most critical one – getting in and then what’s happened,” Finebaum explained. “And, yeah, there’s going to be a lot of people rooting against the SEC. This is not unusual. It’s almost football-like.”

The SEC had an impressive regular season, finishing with a combined record of 344-182 (.654). The conference dominated the non-conference schedule, posting a remarkable 201-36 (.848) record. Fourteen of the league’s 16 teams finished with winning records, with LSU and South Carolina being the only exceptions.

As of Selection Sunday, the SEC was well-represented across the four regions of the tournament bracket. The action kicks off on Wednesday, with Texas competing in the First Four for a No. 11 seed. Auburn and Florida earned No. 1 seeds, while Alabama and Tennessee secured No. 2 seeds. Kentucky, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Missouri, and Mississippi State are spread across the three to eight seed lines, while Georgia and Oklahoma are No. 9 seeds, and Arkansas and Vanderbilt are No. 10 seeds.

Despite this impressive showing, the SEC now faces the pressure of living up to the hype. Finebaum pointed out that advancing deep into the tournament, perhaps even making a Final Four appearance, would be a significant achievement, given the tournament’s difficulty. However, to truly silence the critics, a national championship would be the only way to unequivocally prove the conference’s legitimacy this season.

“I do think it’s incumbent upon the SEC to make an incredible showing. When you have such a preponderance of the field, you are under that microscope,” Finebaum said. “I’ll repeat what others have said and I’ll say it again. I think the Final Four is the first frontier but, but I think, this year, it’s not about the Final Four. In ’19, that was fantastic when Auburn got in there. And a couple years earlier when South Carolina made it and, obviously, last year with Alabama. But the SEC does need to win because I think, until you win the NCAA Championship, those blue bloods, those elitists will not take you as seriously and then they’ll say, ‘Well, okay, this was an abberation, this was a weird thing.’”

Finebaum continued, “I think, in basketball, the Final Four is almost, is what people talk about. Unless you’re at the very top of the game, getting to the Final Four is everyone’s goal. Football is different. You know, everybody has their own wishlist in football.”

If the SEC can secure spots in the Final Four, especially with teams like Auburn and Florida, Finebaum believes it will quiet much of the criticism. He added, “I don’t think anybody is going to be able to say too loudly any of the negativity.”

The SEC now finds itself in a prime position to claim the national title. The real challenge will be getting teams to San Antonio and proving themselves on the biggest stage.

“To the average fan, winning, winning and going to the Final Four are the barometers in basketball,” Finebaum said. “I do think, in a couple weeks on Monday night, it would certainly help the cause if the SEC was not only in the game but winning it.”