Just in case you were late to Saturday’s Auburn-Alabama game and missed the first five minutes, the Crimson Tide gave an instant replay to start the second half.

The difference was that after chasing a 20-point first-half deficit to 5, the Tide had very little left for Auburn when the Tigers opened the second half with a 19-4 run in the first 4:35.

Game over.

Auburn, to be fair, played a “nearly flawless” game, according to Mark Gottfried, who was clearly impressed with the Tigers.

Instead of the gang that couldn’t shoot straight, which they resembled against Florida, Auburn was just under 50 percent from the field for the game, 30-for-61. The Tigers were even better from 3-point range — 6-for-11 in the first half and 4-for-9 in the second.

“They made some tough shots, and made a lot of them,” Gottfried said. “I do think we could defend them better. At the same time, they had one of those games that was nearly flawless.”

Somehow, falling behind 23-6 — including surrendering a 7-point possession — in the first half wasn’t enough to kill the Crimson Tide.

Alabama managed to cut it to 7 points, 42-35, at halftime. Mikhail Torrance came off the bench to lead the offense with 4-of-5 shooting.

The Tide got it to 5 on the opening possession of the second half. Andrew Steele, who had 9 points, hit a jumper for 42-37.

But Auburn caught fire again. Korvotney Barber scored 5 quick points, Rasheem Barrett hit a 3-pointer, Quantez Robinson nailed a jumper and DeWayne Reed hit a 3-pointer and a layup as the Tigers blew out to a 61-39 lead with 15:26 left in the game.

“We’ve got to take responsibility because that team, we can defend better,” Gottfried said. “We’ve had two straight games we’ve given up 85 points.”

Actually, they gave up 83 to Mississippi State on Wednesday night, but the point is the same.

Alabama’s defense hasn’t come out for the second half in recent games.

“I don’t think it’s effort. Maybe it’s a lapse in concentration,” Gottfried said. “I’m not really sure. Even in the LSU game in the second half, our defensive field goal percentage wasn’t very good. (It wasn’t in) the second half of the Mississippi State game ... Today, I don’t think we defended nearly as well in the second half.

“It’s something we’ve got to look at. Something that needs to be addressed, obviously. We’ve got to get better there. I think we can.”

Auburn’s onslaught left the Tide spinning. Torrance, who led Alabama with 24 points, blamed “mental breakdowns on defense,” without citing specifics.

“We didn’t find their open shooters and they just went on another run,” Torrance said.

Alabama weathered the first-half storm.

“When you’re on the road, you’re going to have a run and know what you have to do to stop it,” Torrance said. “So when they went on a run we just had to stay together and continue to motivate each other. We got back in the game and again, just went for that little lapse on defense in the second half. We just struggled.”

Alabama returns home for two games this week. Ole Miss visits at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night and Kentucky comes to Coleman Coliseum next Saturday at 2 p.m.