Notre Dame men searching for consistency ahead of Syracuse road test

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The Notre Dame men’s basketball team remains in search of consistency midway through the season, as injuries and roster changes continue to reshape the Fighting Irish rotation.

The team is currently 2-6 in ACC play, with several close losses keeping them near the bottom of the conference standings. Since Burton went down, freshman Jalen Haralson has emerged as a primary scoring option, leading the team at roughly 15 points per game.

Offensively, Notre Dame is averaging just over 73 points per game, ranking outside the top 150 nationally, and shooting just under 45 percent from the field — numbers that reflect ongoing rhythm and cohesion issues.

Ball movement has also been a challenge, with the Irish averaging fewer than 12 assists per game. Defensively, however, Notre Dame has remained competitive, allowing around 70 points per contest. Turnovers have been a frequent momentum killer, as the Irish commit just over 11 per game.

Shrewsberry said the focus right now is less about wins and losses and more about steady improvement as the season progresses.

“What was going to work with the group that we had with Markus and Kebba is different than what’s going to work now,” Shrewsberry said. “We still have a lot of the season left to keep growing and getting better. If we’re playing good basketball by the end of the year, I’ll be satisfied.”

Shrewsberry added that the team took Wednesday off following the physical grind of its game against Virginia but responded with a strong practice Thursday. He said the Irish are “juiced up and ready to go,” feeling both mentally and physically refreshed ahead of their matchup against Syracuse.