CLEMSON – After finishing the regular season on April 26, Clemson was hoping the long rest would give it an opportunity to make a run in the ACC Tournament.

That did not happen, as the Tigers fell to North Carolina this past Wednesday in the opening round. The quick exit was a first for the program, who made it at least to the semifinals of the ACC Tournament in each of their first five years they participated in the event.

The quick exit meant another long week off, as they await their selection to the NCAA Tournament, which will be announced Sunday evening on ESPN.

The Tigers (32-20, 13-11 ACC) are a lock to make the 64-team field for a sixth consecutive year, thanks to its tough schedule, which saw them go 10-10 against ranked opponents. Clemson’s 10 victories against ranked opponents tied the program record.

But despite Clemson’s impressive resume and No. 24 RPI ranking, it will not host a regional at McWhorter Stadium next week when the NCAA Tournament begins.

Where are the Tigers headed? Likely to the SEC.

There are a few options. Clemson is listed as a No. 2 seed in the field and have been projected to play in the Athens (Georgia) Regional in Athens, Ga. Other projections have also listed the Tigers as the No. 2 seed in the Tuscaloosa (Alabama) Regional, as well as the Knoxville (Tennessee) Regional.

The Tigers are 3-4 against SEC competition this season, including a split with rival South Carolina.

Clemson has not played Tennessee or Georgia in the NCAA Tournament, but they do have history against them. The Tigers knocked off Tennessee at Tennessee last year when the Volunteers were ranked No. 1 in the country.

This past year, Clemson run-ruled No. 10 Georgia, 10-1, on Feb. 25 in Athens. It marked the first time either program has won on the other team’s home field in their brief series. The Tigers own a 4-2 record against Georgia.

As for Alabama, Clemson has played the Crimson Tide before in the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers played Alabama in the Tuscaloosa Regional in 2021, losing both games to the Crimson Tide.

Clemson also played in the 2024 Tuscaloosa Regional, but the Tigers went 1-2 with both losses coming to Southeastern Louisiana.

Overall, Clemson is 13-11 in NCAA Tournament games during its brief history, including a 12-5 record in the regional round. The Tigers have won three regionals but are just 3-4 in road regional games. They are 1-6 in the super regional round. All three super regional series have come on the road.