Notre Dame edges Cal in ACC’s very first 4OT game

SOUTH BEND, Ind.– Markus Burton scored a career-high 43 points, Matt Allocco nailed the go-ahead 3-pointer in the ultrarare fourth overtime, and Notre Dame lasted longer than California 112-110 on Saturday.Though it was the very first

four-overtime game in the ACC, Notre Dame does have winning history in prolonged games. According to ESPN Research study, the last Division I game to go to five or more overtimes came on Feb. 9, 2013, between Louisville and Notre Dame. The Irish won that game 104-101 in the 5th extra session. At the time, both programs were in the Big East Conference.”Happy with our guys for how they simply fought and competed,”Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry said.”Markus boggled the mind. He was unreal.”Saturday’s win fell just short of that five-overtime marker. However Notre Dame, once in risk of missing the ACC tournament, will take it. The Irish can end up as high as a tie for 8th location, pending the result of later games. Cal could tie for 14th. Burton, whose previous profession high was 32 points, fouled out with 2:40 remaining

in the fourth OT. Allocco then took over on offense, scoring 8 points and culminating with his 3-pointer for a 109-108 lead with 15 seconds left. The Irish forced Cal’s Jeremiah Wilkinson into a turnover, and Cole Certa struck two totally free tosses for Notre Dame.Leading by three with 4 seconds left, Notre Dame fouled Spencer Mahoney, who made both free throws.

Cal in turn fouled Garrett Sundra, who made the very first and missed the 2nd to let time expire.Cal connected it at 61 on DJ Campbell’s 3-pointer with 5 1/2 minutes staying in guideline, and the Bears took the lead on Mady Sissoko’s dunk to open the first overtime. Burton’s 3-pointer connected it at 79 with 36 seconds left.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Burton scored seven points in the second overtime, and Sissoko’s 2 free tosses tied it at 88 heading to the next OT.Allocco and Wilkinson traded layups late in the

third overtime and the

score was connected at 97 heading to OT No. 4. Allocco ended up with 24 points, J.R. Konieczny 13 and Tae Davis 12 for Notre Dame( 14-17, 8-12 ).

Nikita Konstantynovskyi had 17 rebounds.”I was riding the wave like those guys were,”Shrewsberry said, when asked about his feelings during the game.”They just sort of hammered out it.”Wilkinson, a freshman, had a career-high 36 points for the Golden Bears(13-18, 6-14).

Andrej Stojakovic scored 21, Sissoko had 14 points with 13 rebounds, Campbell 15 points and Javon Blacksher Jr. 11 points.In the marathon game, Burton and Wilkinson set history as a dueling duo in ACC play. They combined for 79 points and became just the third pair of opposing players to top 35 points in a league game throughout the previous 25 years. According to ESPN Research Study, Burton and Wilkinson surpassed N.C. State’s T.J. Warren (36 )and North Carolina’s Marcus Paige(35 )from a 2014 game, in addition to Florida State’s Al Thornton (37) and Duke’s JJ Redick (36)from a 2006 game.The Associated Press added to this report.