Dylan Harper dropped a career-high 36 points and Rutgers fended off Matt Allocco and Notre Dame 85-84 in overtime to cap a wild first day of the Players Era Festival on Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

Allocco forced overtime by making a three-pointer with seven seconds left.

With the Fighting Irish up by one, Harper threw a pass to Jeremiah Williams for an open corner 3, making it 75-73 at the 2:53 mark. Rutgers poked the ball free and Jordan Derkack scored on the fast break for a two-possession game.

Notre Dame had no choice but to foul Rutgers, and Allocco hit three three-pointers in a span of 26 seconds. The third, when he leaned into his defender, tied the score at 84 with 15 seconds left.

But Irish freshman Cole Certa, unaware of the tie, then fouled Harper, who sank one of two free throws. Notre Dame took one last look at Allocco, whose 3-pointer at the buzzer just missed.

Rutgers (5-1) will face No. 9 Alabama and Notre Dame (4-2) will face No. 6 Houston on Wednesday before championship day matchups can be determined.

Harper had six rebounds, six assists and just one turnover in the highest-scoring game of any freshman this season. Derkack had 16 points and Williams and Ace Bailey each scored 10 for Rutgers.

Notre Dame played most of the game without leading scorer Markus Burton, who limped off with a right leg injury less than four minutes into the game. Rutgers center Emmanuel Ogbole fell on Burton’s legs during a play for the ball.

Allocco stepped up. The only player from either team to play all 45 minutes finished with 24 points, six three-pointers, ten rebounds and five assists. Braeden Shrewsberry had 12 of his 16 points before halftime, Tae Davis scored 15 points and Burke Chebuhar scored 11 and grabbed seven rebounds.

Harper picked up two early fouls but still scored nine of Rutgers’ first 14 points, with his fastbreak layup cutting Notre Dame’s lead to two at the 9:50 mark. Shrewsberry countered with his third 3-pointer of the game, sparking a 9-1 spurt for Notre Dame’s largest lead at 25-15.

Derkack scored eight points in the final 5:13 of the half, and his tough layup in the final minute cut Rutgers’ halftime deficit to 35-34.

Each team had a string of five consecutive baskets during the second half, and the largest lead for either side was six, when Logan Imes and Chebuhar drilled three-pointers on consecutive possessions, giving Notre Dame a 62–56 lead with 7:08 left for. to go.

Rutgers responded with a crucial 9-0 run. Harper put the Scarlet Knights ahead 63-62 with a three-point play and then set up Derkack for a two-handed jam.

Notre Dame was scoreless for 4:57 before Davis made two free throws. Then Allocco hit a lead layup with 1:26 left in regulation. Bailey made a jumper and Derkack converted two foul shots to give Rutgers a 69-66 lead, setting up Allocco’s heroics.

–Field-level media