Notre Dame played the longest game in the Atlantic Coast Conference history on Saturday.
There is no rest for the tired because Fighting Irish’s reward to win is to play in the ACC tournament Tuesday afternoon in Charlotte, NC No. 13 Seed Pitt (17-14) will oppose the 12-seeded Irish (14-17).
The winner takes on the fifth-seeded North Carolina in the second round Wednesday afternoon.
Notre Dame took down and visited Cal 112-110 in four overtime to end the regular season.
Irish coach Micah Shrewsberry wants his team to make more special memories in the tournament – and play much more basketball.
“We’ve been in many situations,” said Shrewsberry. “We have been in many close situations. We have been up and lost. We have been down and come back. We have played in close play.”
Notre Dame’s Markus Burton got a career pile of 43 points on Saturday at 53 minutes court time. Senior Backcourt Mate Matt Allocco logged 54 of the 60 possible minutes and got 24 points, one of his careers best.
The excursion increased Burton’s ACC-leading points average to 22.2 points per match. Keeping his crime flows will be important in the tournament.
“How can we try to free him in a different way?” Said Shrewsberry. “These are things we can work with and continue to grow from.”
Notre Dame has won two straight and three of her last five matches. That route started on February 22 with a victory 76-72 against Pitt with Tae Davis who scored 21 points. Davis Fouled out in regulation against Cal.
Pitt stopped a four-match losing Saturday with a victory of 93-67 home against Boston College.
“This is the perfect time to use (high energy), getting ready to enter the ACC tournament,” said Pitt Guard Brandin Cummings.
Panthers looked as if they were fighting for an NCAA tournament during the first months of the season. They will try to get it back for the conference tournament.
“We know what we have to do to be at our best,” said Pitt Guard Jaland Lowe. “When we play together we are really good out there.”
Lowe, which is 10th ACC score of 16.8 points per match, noted its fifth double double of the season against Boston College. He became the third Panther as Eclipse 500 points and 150 assists in one season.
“When you have the ball a lot, there is a responsibility that comes with it,” said Panther’s coach Jeff Capel in praise.
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