SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Markus Burton scored a career-high 43 points, Matt Allocco nailed the go-ahead 3-pointer in the ultra-rare fourth overtime, and Notre Dame outlasted California 112-110 on Saturday.
Though it was the first four-overtime game in the ACC, Notre Dame does have winning history in lengthy games. According to ESPN Research, 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 fifth extra session. At the time, both programs were in the Big East Conference.
"Proud of our guys for how they just fought and competed," Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry said. "Markus was unbelievable. He was unreal."
Saturday's win fell just short of that five-overtime marker. But Notre Dame, once in danger of missing the ACC tournament, will take it. The Irish can finish as high as a tie for eighth place, pending the outcome of later games. Cal could tie for 14th.
Burton, whose previous career high was 32 points, fouled out with 2:40 remaining in the fourth OT. Allocco then took over on offense, scoring eight 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 hit two free throws for Notre Dame.
Leading by three with four seconds left, Notre Dame fouled Spencer Mahoney, who made both free throws. Cal in turn fouled Garrett Sundra, who made the first and missed the second to let time expire.
Cal tied it at 61 on DJ Campbell's 3-pointer with 5 minutes remaining in regulation and the Bears took the lead on Maddy Sissoko's dunk to open the first overtime. Burton's 3-pointer tied it at 79 with 36 seconds left.
Burton scored seven points in the second overtime and Sissoko's two free throws tied it at 88 heading to the next OT.
Allocco and Wilkinson traded layups late in the third overtime and the score was 97-all heading to OT No. 4.
Allocco finished 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 emotions during the game. "They just kind of fought through 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 across the past 25 years. According to ESPN Research, Burton and Wilkinson surpassed N.C. State's T.J. Warren (36) and North Carolina's Marcus Paige (35) from a 2014 game, as well as Florida State's Al Thornton (37) and Duke's J.J. Redick (36) from a 2006 game.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
