SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame edged out California in a thrilling game that extended into four overtimes, with Markus Burton delivering an exceptional performance by scoring a personal best of 43 points. The Fighting Irish secured a 112-110 victory on Saturday, with Matt Allocco adding a decisive 3-pointer in the final moments of the fourth overtime.
This victory has brightened Notre Dame’s standing, as they can now finish as high as an eighth-place tie within the ACC, depending on how subsequent games unfold. Meanwhile, the defeat leaves Cal in a position where they could potentially tie for 14th place.
Burton, whose previous highest score was 32, fouled out with 2 minutes and 40 seconds left in the fourth extra period. Stepping up in the final moments, Allocco took command of the offense, contributing eight points, which included a crucial 3-pointer giving Notre Dame a 109-108 edge with just 15 seconds remaining. As the Irish put pressure on Cal’s Jeremiah Wilkerson, they forced a critical turnover. This allowed Cole Certa to clinch two free throws for Notre Dame.
With a three-point lead and only four seconds left on the clock, Spencer Mahoney from Cal was fouled and efficiently sank both free throws. In retaliation, Garrett Sundra of Notre Dame was fouled and made one of his free throws, allowing the final seconds to wind down as Cal fell short of reclaiming the lead.
Regulation time saw Cal draw level at 61 via DJ Campbell’s 3-pointer, which led the Bears ahead with Maddy Sissoko’s notable dunk at the start of the first overtime. Burton’s clutch 3-pointer tied the game at 79 with 36 seconds remaining, proving critical.
The action-packed second overtime saw Burton contributing seven points. Sissoko’s accurate free throws then pushed the game into yet another overtime by evening the score at 88.
During the third overtime, Allocco and Wilkinson exchanged layups, ending the period with a score of 97-97, setting the stage for a gripping fourth overtime.
In addition to Burton’s impressive showing, Allocco ended his evening with 24 points, while J.R. Konieczny and Tae Davis contributed 13 and 12 points, respectively, for Notre Dame (14-17, 8-12). Nikita Konstantynovskyi was a force on the boards, grabbing 17 rebounds.
For the Golden Bears (13-18, 6-14), freshman Jeremiah Wilkerson emerged as a standout with a personal best of 36 points. Andrej Stojakovic added 21 points, Sissoko notched a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Campbell and Javon Blacksher Jr. added 15 and 11 points, respectively.
