For the first time all season, Notre Dame men’s basketball was finally tested by a team of equal talent in Ohio Statebut He is just two points short of a road victory.
The Big Ten isn’t as good as the ACC, but the Buckeyes should be good enough to make the NCAA tournament. There was definitely that kind of feeling, with both teams battling it out until the end.
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Notre Dame suffered its first loss of the year, but that shouldn’t mean much in the long run. Even though the season hasn’t seen much play so far, here are some thoughts on what I’ve seen from the Irish this year.
Notre Dame will live and die with Markus Burton
As Ireland’s best player, Burton is what keeps this team going and on Sunday he struggled. Just 3 of 14 from the field, as he did most of his damage from the free throw line. It was the second-lowest output of the year, and the first, he played just 18 minutes in a blowout win over Detroit Mercy. If Burton can find some consistency in his scoring, Notre Dame can win a lot of games this season.
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Carson Towt has been a great addition through the portal
Towt doesn’t have the height idea for a center, but he has the mindset of a 7-footer. He’s relentlessly crushing the glass, as he’s averaging 13 per game so far this year. Towt isn’t much of a scorer, but he can get a bucket here and there if needed. He is an absolute load in the middle of the field for the Irish and looks to be a great addition to the transfer package.
Jalen Haralson is the real deal
He has played in three of four games, but Haralson is third on the team in scoring while shooting 56.5 percent from the field. He’s not much of a three-point shooter, he’s only missed one attempt this year, but he gets to his spots and to the line. Haralson is a solid rebounder, but it’s not his strong point yet. He will have to improve in limiting turnovers, but he is brimming with potential and is going to be a very good player.
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Several players have earned the right to more playing time
At this point, with who the Irish remain on their non-conference schedule, Micah Shrewsberry likely won’t see what Cole Certa, Ryder Frost and Brady Koehler could do with more time on the field. There are several opponents over the next few weeks that will be very tough, but there will be a three-game stretch starting in mid-December where Notre Dame should be heavily favored. Shrewsberry should use this time to rest his regulars and see what some of the others can do.
Braeden Shrewsberry needs to shoot at a higher volume
It could be that Shrewsberry is shooting so well this season, 57.1% from the field and 61.9% from three, because of his limited attempts, but he is making very good decisions with his shots. I don’t think he made a lot of bad attempts and found a really good rhythm. A second scoring option emerging would be huge for this Notre Dame team.
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Notre Dame has a good chance to make the NCAA tournament
After seeing four games of this team, I think they have a legitimate chance to make the NCAA tournament. A top-four finish in the ACC probably isn’t a possibility, but a good number of middle-of-the-pack teams are getting there. The Irish are good enough to finish in this area, and around 20 wins should be enough. I think it’s achievable with this team and should be Shrewsberry’s best team in South Bend to date.
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This article was originally published on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame basketball: Thoughts on the Irish after the first two weeks
