Is Offense or Defense More Important for Alabama in Final Six Games? Just a Minute

Welcome to BamaCentral’s "Just a Minute," a video series featuring BamaCentral's Alabama beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers will group up to provide their take on a topic concerning the Crimson Tide or the landscape of college sports.

Watch the above video as BamaCentral staff writer Hunter De Siver discusses Alabama basketball's final six games of the regular season.

No. 4 Alabama men's basketball is in the home stretch of the regular season as the Crimson Tide has six more games until the SEC Tournament.

Each of the six opponents is ranked in the AP Top 25 and has all but locked up spots in the NCAA Tournament. That said, these teams are all fighting for better seeds in both the SEC Tournament and March Madness when Selection Sunday comes around on March 16.

With this in mind, Alabama must find a way to perform well on both ends of the floor as some opponents are dominant offensively while others are stout defensively. Here is a glimpse at each of the Crimson Tide's final six opponents and their respective rank in the country in scoring offense (points scored) and scoring defense (points allowed):

Feb. 19 at No. 15 Missouri: 20th points for, 95th points against
Feb. 22 vs. No. 17 Kentucky: third points for, 304th points against
Feb. 25 vs. No. 21 Mississippi State: 64th points for, 167th points against
March 1 at No. 6 Tennessee: 171st points for, fifth points against
March 5 vs. No. 2 Florida: 12th points for, 39th points against
March 8 at No. 1 Auburn: fifth points for, 72nd points against

Alabama leads the nation in points per game with 90.3, but the Crimson Tide's 79.1 points allowed is 334th––easily the worst among the final six opponents. Head coach Nate Oats and company are always looking for ways to have at least one stellar game on both ends of the floor, but this upcoming slate will likely make that impossible.

Due to its practically unstoppable offense and moveable defense, Alabama will need to rely more on the scoring department being in full effect rather than locking down opponents. As seen above, four of the teams are top-20 in the country in points per game, but the Crimson Tide is still ahead of them all.

Unlike some recent seasons, Alabama has found a way to incorporate its renowned usage of three-ball with dominant nights in the paint as well. Both of these scoring methods must be utilized efficiently if the Tide wants to win throughout the gauntlet stretch.

Of course, Alabama has made much-needed improvements this season on the defensive end and it'll be preached over the next six games. Oats and assistant coach Brian Adams have worked very hard to create a defensive efficiency rating that is far better than last season's, but it'll truly be put to the test over the next 17 days. The offense has proven night-in and night-out to be more trustworthy.

What do you think? Is offense or more important for Alabama in the final six games of the regular season?

It all starts tonight at 8 p.m. on the road against No. 15 Missouri.

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