"I'm not that crazy to go against the SEC’: Paul Finebaum names conference he believes could be the inevitable 2025 NCAAB Champion

The 2025 NCAAB championship will have many suitors, especially from the SEC. Paul Finebaum believes one team from the conference will have a shot at going for glory.

Finebaum appeared on an episode of SportsCenter this Saturday. He had some insightful thoughts regarding the title contenders in the college basketball space. He had two specific teams in mind, one from the Southeastern Conference and the other from the ACC.

“You have to go with the SEC right now, because, I mean, they have more than almost 25% percent of the field, or they should a month from today,” Finebaum said on SportsCenter.

“So I think if you look at it, these are easily the two best teams in the country. There are a couple of others in the SEC. But right now, Auburn looks like the best team. Johni Broome has been unbelievable. The other school you have to watch out for his Duke of course with Cooper Flagg playing. But right now you’d be crazy, and I’m not that crazy, to go against the SEC.”

How Auburn's remaining SEC schedule looks

Paul Finebaum's reasons for choosing the No. 1 Auburn Tigers as the likely title contenders would be justified given the team's performance.

Auburn boasts a 22-2 overall record, having won 10 of their first 11 conference matchups. They average 84.8 points on 48.6% shooting from the field and 37.2% from beyond the arc, beating teams by a solid margin of 17 points per game.

Johni Broome commands the unit, averaging 18.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.7 blocks. Chad Baker-Mazara comes next with 12.2 points and 3.4 rebounds. Tahaad Pettiford puts up 11.5 points and 2.7 assists, while Miles Kelly provides 10.8 points and 3.3 rebounds.

The road for Auburn's path will continue to be tough when it comes to their remaining schedule. They have two dates with Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Ole Miss, Kentucky and Texas A&M.

The No. 1 Tigers prepare for a big ranked matchup on Saturday, facing the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide at the Coleman Coliseum at 4 p.m. ET.