Ahead of March Madness, the postseason, the time of year where the adage “defense wins champions” is repeated and rings true, Alabama basketball dedicated Monday and Tuesday to defensive fundamentals. Nate Oats feels like his roster is “really locked in.” They’ve been there before, though.

On Feb. 16, a day before holding Texas A&M to 75 points — its best defensive effort in the last month — Oats said in a news conference that the team had one of its better practices. The focus was improved. A week later, however, it allowed 117 points in Kentucky. On March 13, Oats credited Jarin Stevenson and Mo Dioubate for “dominating” parts of practice. But two nights later against Florida in the conference tournament, the pair combined for 18 minutes and six points in a 14-point loss.

Earlier this week, before hitting the road for Spokane, Washington in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Oats credited his players’ effort. Time will tell if it’ll lead to success when the results matter. A lackluster effort against the No. 13 Cougars (27-7, 15-3 CAA) could end the No. 4 UA’s (21-11, 13-5 SEC) roller-coaster season.

“So a lot of the defensive issues we’ve had, I feel have come down to just decisions you got to make, how hard do you want to play, how much do you want to be locked in. … Our defense isn’t what I would have liked for it to be or what our program has kind of set the standard to be. I think we’re capable of beating anyone in the country, and we’re going to have to come out and guard this year,” Oats said Thursday before correcting himself, “or this week.”

Alabama has continually been a stellar offensive team and struggling defensive side (KenPom ranks the Tide third in the former, 116th in the latter). Since Feb. 18, Alabama has produced the third-worst defense among the teams participating in March Madness, per Bart Torvik — only having better numbers than Long Beach State, Howard and Stetson.

In that stretch, Alabama has conceded 90-plus points four times and has gone 3-4 overall, including a disappointing one-and-done last week in Nashville, Tennessee. Its challenge in the round of 64 will bring a 3-point heavy attack in Charleston and its Australian point guard Reyne Smith. So what’s been missing for the Tide down the stretch when its bad defense turned atrocious?

“Forty minutes of us playing hard is our problem,” Aaron Estrada told AL.com, leaning forward in his chair. “I think we just don’t play hard for the full 40 minutes. If you watch our games, we have spurts where we shut teams out. We have spurts where we show how good we are defensively. We just have to put it together for 40 minutes.”

After non-conference play ended in December, Oats rearranged coaching responsibilities in a throwback to his days at Romulus (Michigan) High. He would spend more time on the Tide’s defensive strategies and leave a historic offense to his assistant coaches. Playing time would be tied to effort, specifically in practice. Estrada added that Oats brought his “fiery personality” to that end of the floor.

Freshman Sam Walters said the team “started to focus” on stopping ball-handlers more often, denying easy driving lanes once Oats took over. The Tide funneled everything inside to Charles Bediako last year, matching an elite unit led by Brandon Miller with a formidable presence near the rim where Bediako and Noah Clowney lurked. This year, UA has gone with more four-guard lineups and one of its first adjustments was to start “blitzing” teams in the halfcourt to pressure guards into making bad decisions.

Part of the frustration is that Alabama coaches and players agree the scouting reports have been accurate and thorough. There are just moments where the Tide forgets about it.

“We have like moments, we don’t have (many) games,” Latrell Wrightsell Jr. said. ” … I think we have it in us. I think we just gotta show it.

“Being able to pressure up and get guys out their rhythm is a big thing. … Once we get them out their rhythm, we’re probably the best team in the country.”

Alabama limited South Carolina to 47 points at home on Jan. 9. It forced the Aggies’ Wade Taylor IV and Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht, two of the best scorers in the SEC, to eight and 13 points, respectively. As Rylan Griffen identified, just one mistake and Alabama’s confidence and scheme start to buckle.

The Tide has the scoring to beat any team in the tournament, but its defense can be the difference in an early exit and a trip to its first Elite 8 in 20 years. After a night where nearly everything went poorly defensively against Florida, Alabama thinks it’s found another fix after some good showings in practice.

“It’s all about connectivity. Talking has been an important piece we’ve been missing,” Nick Pringle said. ” … Physicality, having the intensity with what we’re doing. I think tomorrow will be a good show of what we’ve been working on.”

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].