CLEMSON -- At almost every other time in modern sports history, the cancellation of multiple ACC Tournament games would be stop-the-presses stuff.

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During a pandemic, it's just another day -- and the cost of doing basketball business in as safe a way as possible.

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"A little bit of it was a surprise," Brad Brownell said of last week, "but a little bit was: 'Hey, we knew this stuff could happen.' It scared me with our team. It frightens you."

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Clemson reaching the NCAA Tournament is a joyous occasion whenever it happens because it seldom happens.

The Tigers' unveiling as a No. 7 seed was greeted with celebration by Brownell and his program, but also some trepidation about the weirdness to come.

When he spoke with the media Sunday evening, Brownell knew Clemson would be playing Rutgers but had no idea of the time.

He knew the 34-member traveling party, presumably fresh off the required seven consecutive negative COVID tests, would depart for Indianapolis today and upon arrival immediately submit to another round of testing.

Tomorrow comes another round, and then if all goes well things can return to semi-normal with the team meeting and practicing.

Think of it as the bracket before the bracket: Survive a spit test and advance.

These strict parameters were put in place as the NCAA Tournament tries to replicate an authentic bubble that the NBA pulled off with great success last year in Orlando.

In non-pandemic times, trips to the tournament are treated as rewards for all the hard work and sacrifice that made them possible. The team gets the royal treatment, and a big part of the experience is the big-stage feel that accompanies open practices and a host city buzzing with anticipation and filled with travelers.

Normally coaches battle the distraction of outside noise. But this time they combat the distraction of being alone as every member of the traveling party sits by himself in a hotel room until the required tests are passed.

"You just want it to be a good experience for the kids," Brownell said. "Man, these guys pour their hearts out. The amount of work and hours -- these are those life memories that I talk about these kids are creating. And you just want it to be an experience that they enjoy, right? You don't want it to be: 'Guys, you can't leave your room ever.'

"I'll be a little nervous about you just kind of leaving your game in the hotel room, to be honest with you."

The NCAA has created what it calls a "controlled environment" consisting of four hotels -- the JW Marriott, Hyatt, Marriott and Westin -- and the 566,000-square-foot Indiana Convention Center with a connecting skywalk.

Everyone in the traveling party, including the bus drivers taking the teams to each site, will be tested daily. Players will wear tracking devices that monitor their proximity to others to facilitate contact tracing in the event of a positive test.

The games will allow up to 25-percent capacity and be played in six different venues: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Lucas Oil Stadium, Mackey Arena and Assembly Hall. The latter two gyms are within 70 miles of Indianapolis.

The Indiana Convention Center will have 12 different practice courts and spaced-out meeting rooms for study hall and film sessions.

This looks like the perfect location and infrastructure to play host to this type of major event during a decidedly imperfect time.

"The ACC Tournament was different, now. It was weird," Brownell said. "Very few people in the stands and you're playing in a 20,000-seat arena. It was different and obviously it could be like that a little bit in the NCAA Tournament. There will be a little bit more fans I think, which is good.

"But I just want the kids to have a good experience. Obviously winning a game to start would be great, just to kind of get into the tournament and be excited about advancing. But up until that time I don't want it to be so regimented that they don't enjoy any of the experience."

One good way to enjoy the experience: Think back a year and remember when there was nothing to experience.

In that way, this is still very much one shining moment for Clemson and everyone else involved.

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