Alabama suffered another loss on Tuesday night in Gainesville against Florida, falling 105-87 in a beatdown format.

It was another horrible defensive performance, but head coach Nate Oats addressed the struggles on that end of the floor in his postgame media availability.

“Our players need to understand that no matter what happens on offense and, let's be honest, no matter what happens on defense, there's a defensive mindset that always has to be present on every play. – Alabama head coach Nate Oats after giving up 105 points against Florida. pic.twitter.com/St8mDebvJn

— Next Round (@NextRoundLive) March 6, 2024

“Our players understand that no matter what happens on offense and, let's be honest, no matter what happens on defense, there's a defensive mindset that has to be present on every play. “We have too many frustrated players right now and too many disappointments,” Oats said.

The Tide has had great proportions in Oats' system this season, but has experienced a decline on defense, and while a fast offense is fundamental, defensive strength is just as important.

Last season, Alabama finished third in the nation in adjusted defense. Per KenPom. This year, the unit ranks 106th, dropping to triple digits in the category.

The University of Alabama has the No. 1 offense in the nation, but a strong offense means nothing when the defense is this poor.

As the NCAA Tournament approaches, Alabama will need to raise its defense to a level where it is not a complete liability if it is to have any hope of making the tournament.

At the same time, it's starting to feel like if things haven't improved by now, they won't improve this season, and the Tide will have to rely on a hot offense to win this postseason.

Michael Brauner is a senior sports analyst and contributing writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP