Alabama and LSU will play for the second time in two weeks today, but Crimson Tide coach Anthony Grant expects a vastly different game.

He wouldn’t mind the same result, however. Alabama (12-7 overall, 2-3 SEC) won 66-49 in Baton Rouge on Jan. 9.

“I’m sure there will be a lot of adjustments they’ll make based on how we guarded them there ... but I think this game will have a completely different feel,” Grant said this week.

Certainly, LSU’s Tasmin Mitchell will play a big role in the Tigers’ plans.

“He’s a great player, can hurt you in a lot of different ways,” Grant said of the fifth-year senior. “He has really expanded his game to where he’s shooting threes.

“He’s obviously strong and physical on the inside, so he’s poses a problem in a lot of different areas on the offensive end and defensively. ... He makes plays just from anticipation that can be very disruptive.”

Mitchell averages 17.9 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Against SEC competition, he is averaging 19.0 points — fourth in the SEC — and converting on 51.4 percent of his shots.

Bo Spencer and Storm Warren also average 15.3 and 13.5 points per game, respectively. Sophomore guard Chris Bass is 10th in the league in assists at 3.5 a game and fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.4.

Those are decent parts to a basketball team. And yet, the Tigers (9-10 overall, 0-5 SEC) are the only winless team in the conference.

“Last year, where our margin of error was slim, we don’t have a margin of error,” LSU second-year coach Trent Johnson said this week.

Johnson described a loss to Ole Miss, where it was a one-point game in the second half.

“We take two open shots in rhythm that Bo misses, and we get a stop, but then we come down to an ill-advised shot where you don’t get the ball to your best player. You are talking about six- or eight-point turnarounds,” Johnson said. “As opposed to being up two or maybe being tied, you are down six or eight to a team that is pretty good.”

Alabama can relate to that. The Tide had lost three straight SEC games in which they lost leads in the second half. Even in the victory over Mississippi State on Saturday, the Tide was just 1-for-14 to close the first half as a big early lead was cut to one.

Then it gave up a 14-0 run midway through the second half, losing a 12-point lead.

Still, Grant said his team’s progress on the defensive end has enabled it to compete in every game.

“I think that’s one thing that’s been consistent throughout SEC play,” the coach said. “We have to understand again who we are. If we continue to do that, if we can defend and we can get consistent in terms of rebounding, then that gives us a chance at least every night.”

Johnson said it’s evident that the Tide has made strides since it beat LSU.

“From watching tape on Alabama, they are a lot better defensively on the half court than the first time we played them,” he said. “They are much improved now, and they were really good then in their ability to force a lot of pressure or get you out of rhythm.”

That is a concern for a Tiger attack that is fairly basic.

“We tried to simplify things as much as we could because we have limitations at a skill level. We have to play close to the basket,” Johnson said.

Alabama is led by sophomore forward JaMychal Green and senior guard Mikhail Torrance. The emergence of Tony Mitchell, back from a bout of mono around the holidays, helped both against Mississippi State.

“I think Tony has had a great freshman year,” Grant said. “I think with every game he gets a better feel in terms what he can and can’t do and what’s needed.”

The game, which ends a three-game homestand for Alabama, tips off at 7 p.m. and will be televised on the SEC Network.

The Crimson Tide visits rival Auburn on Saturday afternoon.