There’s a preconceived notion that teams play better at home. For Clemson basketball in 2024, it’s become the opposite at times.

Since the start of ACC play, the Tigers have failed to come up in the big moments against Virginia, Georgia Tech and NC State in Littlejohn Coliseum. The latter two matchups featured blown leads by Clemson, and the same can be said for the Louisville win that got far too close after holding a 24-point lead.

Killer instinct is important in college basketball, but for some reason, the Tigers find it more on the road. It was evident in non-conference play as Clemson traded blows with Alabama, who is now a top-15 team.

Thos hasn’t changed in ACC play and the latest example was the win against Georgia Tech Wednesday. After losing the first matchup in 2OT fashion, the Tigers shot 48.3 percent from three and buried this game in the first four minutes of the second half.

Going to Syracuse and shooting over 60 percent from the floor and taking down No. 3 North Carolina with clutch defense alongside scoring in big moments. Don’t forget Clemson had Duke on the ropes until a controversial end for the Tigers or it would be two Tobacco Road wins.

All this is to say winning at home is nice, but it doesn’t matter in March. The Tigers won’t be able to rely on a home crowd when it’s win-or-go home but that’s not a problem for this team.

The end of the season is crucial for seeing purposes, but Clemson has proved that one of its strength is winning regardless of the venue, and that’s paramount in the NCAA Tournament.