The Notre Dame Fighting Irish men’s basketball team officially opened the Micah Shrewsberry era with a 70 to 63 win over the Niagara Purple Eagles at Purcell Pavilion on Monday night. The young squad kicked off the season with a 96-62 exhibition game victory over Hanover College on November 1st, but this was the team’s first regular season game under their new head coach.
The Irish were led on the evening by freshman guard Markus Burton, a Mishawaka native and reigning Indiana Mr. Basketball who scored 29 points while shooting 11-of-20 from the floor. His scoring total surpassed the Notre Dame freshman debut scoring record set by LaPhonso Ellis in his first game in 1988.