Burton Hits 43, Allocco Shines as Notre Dame Beats Cal

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — In an exhilarating match, Markus Burton achieved a personal milestone scoring 43 points, leading Notre Dame to a thrilling 112-110 triumph over California in a game that extended into a grueling fourth overtime on Saturday. Matt Allocco sealed the win with a decisive 3-pointer in that overtime period.

Notre Dame, once teetering on the edge of missing the ACC tournament, now has the potential to secure a spot as high as eighth place, contingent on future game outcomes. Meanwhile, California might find itself in a tie for the 14th position.

Burton, whose previous record was 32 points, fouled out with just 2:40 remaining in the final overtime. Stepping up in the clutch moment, Allocco netted eight critical points, including a pivotal 3-pointer that gave Notre Dame a 109-108 advantage with only 15 seconds left. The Irish then compelled California’s Jeremiah Wilkerson into a costly turnover, after which Cole Certa solidified the lead with two successful free throws.

In a strategic play with a three-point lead and four seconds on the clock, Notre Dame fouled Spencer Mahoney, who converted both free throws. California responded by fouling Garrett Sundra, who made the first shot but missed the second, allowing time to expire.

California had pushed the game into its dramatic length when DJ Campbell sank a 3-pointer to tie it at 61 with about 5 ½ minutes left in regular play. The Bears briefly captured the lead in the initial overtime period through Maddy Sissoko’s emphatic dunk, though Burton balanced it out with a 3-pointer, tying the score at 79 with 36 seconds remaining.

As the second overtime unfolded, Burton was pivotal again, adding seven points to his tally, while Sissoko’s two free throws tied it at 88, dragging the game into yet another period. A series of traded layups between Allocco and Wilkinson in the third overtime left the scoreboard at 97-across, setting the stage for the ultimate deciding fourth period.

Ending with 24 points, Allocco was an essential contributor alongside teammates J.R. Konieczny, who added 13, and Tae Davis, with 12. Nikita Konstantynovskyi showed his prowess on the boards, securing 17 rebounds for Notre Dame (14-17, 8-12).

Jeremiah Wilkerson, exhibiting remarkable composure as a freshman, achieved a career-high of 36 points for California (13-18, 6-14). Andrej Stojakovic supported the effort with 21 points, while Sissoko had a noteworthy double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Additional contributions came from Campbell with 15 points and Javon Blacksher Jr. adding 11.