This writer asks that question.....
Don't compare the results of smalls against bigs in December. For one thing, it's always Small at Big. The 11 ACC teams played only seven games on the home court of a team outside the major conferences. Duke didn't play a true nonconference road game all year. Georgia Tech stuck its toe in, playing at Illinois-Chicago, and won by one.
Of course he fails to mention playing AT Kansas on New Year's day or playing in Las Vegas over the X-Mas holiday against Gonzaga. But then that wouldn't be convenient to his story would it?