In a dramatic clash that went into four overtimes, Notre Dame triumphed over California with a final score of 112-110 in South Bend, Indiana. Markus Burton delivered an extraordinary performance, recording a career-high 43 points before fouling out late in the final overtime. The intense contest saw Matt Allocco stepping in to score crucial points, including a decisive three-pointer that gave Notre Dame a 109-108 lead with only 15 seconds to spare.
The victory positions Notre Dame in a shared ninth place, securing them a No. 12 seed spot in the upcoming 15-team ACC Tournament starting Tuesday. Meanwhile, California concluded their season in 15th place.
In a nail-biting finish, Notre Dame capitalized on a turnover forced from California’s Jeremiah Wilkerson, allowing Cole Certa to seal the win with two successful free throws. Despite a late challenge from Spencer Mahoney, who made two free throws for California, Notre Dame managed to clinch the game after Garrett Sundra added the final point.
Regulation time ended with a tie at 61-all after DJ Campbell’s three-pointer for California. Maddy Sissoko’s dunk initially put California ahead in the first overtime, but Burton countered with a key three-pointer, tying the game at 79 with seconds to go.
The second overtime saw Burton adding seven more points before it ended in another tie at 88 due to Sissoko’s free throws. Both teams traded points in the third overtime, entering the fourth with a 97-all stalemate. Allocco emerged as a reliable scorer throughout the overtimes, wrapping up his night with 24 points.
J.R. Konieczny contributed 13 points and Tae Davis added 12 for Notre Dame. Nikita Konstantynovskyi stood out with 17 rebounds. On the California side, freshman Jeremiah Wilkerson led the charge with a personal best of 36 points, accompanied by contributions from Andrej Stojakovic with 21 points, Sissoko with a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds, DJ Campbell with 15 points, and Javon Blacksher Jr. adding 11 points.
