The dream of an Alabama-Auburn NCAA tournament championship game is dead after the Crimson Tide’s 85-65 loss to Duke in the Elite Eight on Saturday night, but Charles Barkley was still bursting with pride over his home state’s basketball success.

The Auburn legend took time to reflect on how far his sport has come in Alabama in recent years. Coach Bruce Pearl and Auburn made the Final Four in 2019, Nate Oats and Alabama last year.

“I want to congratulate Alabama, coach Oats, Mark Sears and that team, what they’ve been able to accomplish the last couple of years,” Barkley said. “(Inside March Madness co-host) Kenny (Smith) said something, he ‘can’t believe that Alabama, Auburn is on top of the food chain in basketball.’ I’m so proud of what we have accomplished in Alabama, with Auburn getting to the Final Four (in 2019), and last year, coach Oats getting that team to the Final Four. It’s been a ride for them the last couple of years, and I want to take the time to acknowledge the great job coach Oats and Mark Sears have done for the University of Alabama.”

Smith — the former North Carolina and NBA point guard — and Barkley — the Basketball Hall-of-Famer from Leeds — then had an odd exchange about, of all things, Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.

SMITH: “It’s hard to believe that the state of Alabama is the capital of basketball …”

BARKLEY: “Well, believe it!”

SMITH: “… when the biggest airport is Birmingham. It’s hard to get there.”

BARKLEY: “You don’t have to fly into Birmingham, you can fly into Leeds. I’m stretching that.”

That digression aside, Barkley then noted — with some prompting from Inside March Madness co-host Clark Kellogg, the former Ohio State standout — that a number of other programs had enjoyed basketball success in recent years. UAB was in the NCAA tournament in 2024 (as was Samford), while Troy and Alabama State were both in the Field of 68 this year.

“I’m so proud of Alabama and Auburn,” Barkley said. “Obviously, I have great pride in my school, and being from Alabama. I never, ever, in my wildest dreams thought Alabama and Auburn would make it to the Final Four. And that’s not a knock. Everybody knows that football is ‘King Kong.’ But what Bruce Pearl, Nate Oats have done … Andy Kennedy at UAB. Troy made the tournament … Alabama State. … I’m just proud to be from Alabama.”

Auburn can advance to its second Final Four with a win over Michigan State in Atlanta on Sunday. The top-seeded Tigers meet the No. 2 Spartans in the NCAA South Regional final at 4:05 p.m. Sunday on CBS.