When USC’s Jordan Marsh sank a contested, double-clutch 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Troy, he collapsed to the floor — a fitting end to a 55-minute, three-overtime marathon between the two Trojan programs.
USC defeated Troy 107-106 on Thursday night in a game where not much separated the two teams. The game was tied at the end of the first half, second half and two overtime periods, despite 19 lead changes. It was USC’s first three-overtime win in program history. Meanwhile, Troy played in two multi-overtime affairs this week, beating San Diego State 108-107 on Tuesday.
There have been more than 1,300 overtime games in Division I men’s basketball since 2023-2024. While over 80 percent of those overtime games have concluded by the end of the first extra frame, there have been 176 double-overtime games, 38 games that finished in triple overtime, and two that concluded in the fourth overtime.
Here are some of the longest — and wildest — overtime games in college basketball history.
Syracuse vs. UConn, 2009 Big East tournament (6OT)
The scoreboard at Madison Square Garden after six overtimes between Syracuse and Connecticut during the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
The Huskies and Orange were bound to make the NCAA tournament when they squared off in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament. It was the last matchup of the night, tipping off at 9:36 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden. Six overtimes and three hours and 46 minutes later, Syracuse finally came away with a 127-117 victory over UConn.
The numbers are staggering: 102 combined points scored during overtime, 211 field goal attempts (103 in overtime), 93 attempted free throws and eight players fouled out. Syracuse, which never led for any of the first five overtime periods, pulled away in the final extra frame behind point guard Jonny Flynn, who played a whopping 67 minutes.
“I just wanted to get the game over with,” Flynn said. “I was thinking, ‘Lord, just get this game over with. Whoever wins the game, let’s just get it over with.’”
The game remains the second-longest Division I matchup ever.
Cincinnati vs. Bradley, 1981 (7OT)
The longest game in Division I history, Cincinnati and Bradley played a seven-overtime marathon in front of just over 7,000 fans. The game was tied 61-61 at the end of regulation and required seven extra periods before the Bearcats finally pulled out a 75–73 win.
Without a shot clock, both teams held on to the ball throughout the overtime frames, as neither team’s lead extended past two points. The two squads mustered for a combined 3.71 points per overtime period.
Nine players logged at least 60 minutes, with Bradley center Donald Reese and Cincinnati guard Bobby Austin each playing 73 — tying the NCAA single-game record for minutes played.
“I know me and my roommate, Dwight Jones, we wanted to go straight to the hotel,” former Cincinnati guard Kevin Gaffney told NCAA.com. “I don’t even think we took off our sweatpants — hopped on the bed and was gone.”
North Carolina vs. Kansas, 1957 National Championship (3OT)
While this game isn’t the longest in college basketball history, it’s the only national championship game to go into multiple overtimes. After only four points were scored in the first overtime, neither team scored in the second overtime. Two free throws with six seconds left in the third extra period clinched the national championship for North Carolina over Wilt Chamberlain and Kansas.
Stunningly, it was the Tar Heels’ second triple-overtime game in as many days; they had edged Michigan State 74–70 in three-overtimes in the semifinal round the day before. For the season, North Carolina went 32-0 and 14-0 in the ACC under coach Frank McGuire.
N.C. State vs. Canisius, first round of the 1956 NCAA tournament (4OT)
In one of the most stunning upsets in NCAA history, Canisius knocked off then-No. 2 N.C. State in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. The game included a completely scoreless third overtime before Canisius ultimately pulled out a 79–78 win.
It was the last year to feature a single NCAA tournament. The following year, the NCAA split its membership into the University Division for larger programs and the College Division for smaller ones, creating separate men’s basketball tournaments for each.