The solution seems simple enough. “We have to get better,” said Alabama Coach Avery Johnson Tuesday as his team prepared to leave for Columbia, Mo., and the Crimson Tide’s next game. “We have to play better for longer stretches.”

Although Johnson and his team have to look ahead, it was understandable that the Bama coach took a look back at Saturday and the Tide’s last game, when a lead that Alabama held for all but a few seconds disappeared on a frantic, last-second three-point shot off the backboard.

Alabama is in a difficult situation following that heart-breaking, buzzer-beating 81-80 home loss to Texas A&M. Now come back-to-back road trips to Missouri Wednesday, followed by a Saturday game at third-ranked Tennessee, and then a return home next Tuesday to league-leading Ole Miss.

Alabama (10-5 overall, 1-2 in Southeastern Conference play) takes on Missouri (9-5 overall, 0-2 SEC) at 8 p.m. CST Wednesday in Columbia. SEC Network will televise the game.

Johnson was able to rattle off a number of areas in which the Tide needs to improve, and he was particularly mindful of end-of-game situations as occurred in Coleman Coliseum Saturday. He cited being more patient on offense, positioning on offense and defense, rebounding, transition defense, avoiding fouls, and even in-bounding the basketball.

With Missouri looking for its first win and Alabama trying to rebound from back-to-back losses, Johnson called it “a test of wills.”

This is the second time this season Bama has had back-to-back losses with the second loss in both cases coming on a last-second three-point shot. In between, though, Alabama delivered five consecutive victories.

Alabama is led by freshman point guard Kira Lewis, Jr., averaging 14.7 points per game and also leading the Tide in assists at 2.9 per game.

Donta Hall tied for first in SEC in double-doubles

Senior low post Donta Hall, 6-9, 230, is averaging 11 points and 8.7 rebounds per game after his 14-point, 16-rebound performance against Texas A&M. Hall is tied for first in the SEC and is 23rd in the nation in double-doubles with seven, including four of the last five games.

Sophomore guard John Petty, Jr., who had a season-high 22 points on six made three-pointers against the Aggies, is averaging 11.3 ppg and also contributes 5.0 rebounds per game.

Lewis and Hall are recent starters as is 6-7 soph Herbert Jones (7.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg) and junior forward Tevin Mack (9.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg). Either Petty or 6-5 junior Dazon Ingram (7.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg) is usually the other starter.

Also seeing considerable playing time are 6-9 soph forward Alex Reese (7.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg), 6-9 soph post Galin Smith (3.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg), 6-11 junior post Daniel Giddens (2.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg), graduate 6-7 forward Riley Norris (5.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg), and grad point guard Avery Johnson, Jr. (1.4 ppg).

Missouri is led by 6-2 guard Jordan Geist at 13.8 ppg and 3.1 assists per game, and 6--4 guard Mark Smith (11.9 ppg). The Tigers have used the same starting lineup all 14 games with 6-10, 252-pound Jeremiah Tilmon averaging 9.8 points and leading Mizzou with 5.8 rpg., 6-7 forward Kevin Puryear (9.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg), and 6-4 guard Javon Pickett (8.1 ppg).

Missouri is last in the league in scoring offense (69.1 ppg), but Alabama is at the bottom of the league in scoring defense (73.3 ppg). Alabama has a plus 3.6 ppg scoring margin, Missouri 2.6. The Tigers are first in the conference in three-point field goal percentage (39.4 percent). Bama is third in the SEC in rebounding margin at plus 6.4, Missouri 11th at plus 2.8. Both teams have poor turnover margins, the Tigers -0.9, the Tide -1.3.

Mizzou’s two losses came at the hands of Tennessee (63-87) and Sunday at South Carolina (75-85, a game that was postponed from Saturday because weather prevented the Tigers from getting out of Missouri).

Alabama has won five of the last six games in the series and has an all-time record of 9-4, including 5-3 since Mizzou came into the SEC. Last year, however, Missouri was a 69-60 winner over Alabama in Tuscaloosa.