A solid start to the season only has Notre Dame striving for more success.
The Fighting Irish will look to improve to 3-0 when they face Eastern Illinois — which continues to face a challenging early schedule — on Monday night in South Bend, Ind.
Following a 74-72 victory over Villanova in Rome on Nov. 1, Notre Dame rolled past Mercyhurst 83-56 on Thursday in the Irish’s home opener.
“We want to be a no-excuses group,” Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry said. “We got a mature group. They know what it takes to win and are willing to do what it takes to win.”
The Irish shot 35.4% (23 of 65) from the field against Villanova, then improved to 53.8% (28 of 52) vs. Mercyhurst. They also went 15 of 32 from 3-point range in the latter contest.
Notre Dame star senior guard Braeden Shrewsberry, the coach’s son, has totaled 32 points and gone 8 of 18 from beyond the arc. Teammate Brady Koehler, who is averaging 16.5 points per game, has hit 12 of 20 shots from the field in two games.
The Irish also clamped down by holding an overmatched Mercyhurst squad to 37.3% shooting (19 of 51) after Villanova made 46.2% (24 of 52) of its overall attempts against them.
“We got to get it where we are more consistent,” Micah Shrewsberry said.
Braeden Shrewsberry had 18 points and Notre Dame shot 48.3% (29 of 60) during a 78-58 home win over Eastern Illinois last season to improve to 3-0.
The Panthers (0-2 this season) shot 38.9% overall (21 of 54), including 6 of 21 from 3-point range, at Notre Dame a year ago. This season, Eastern Illinois enters the rematch having allowed 91 points apiece while losing at Indiana and Iowa by a combined 78 points.
The Panthers allowed those first two opponents to make 56.4% of shots and go 23 of 54 from 3-point range. Eastern Illinois also has committed 35 turnovers for the young season.
Perhaps the somewhat daunting early slate of games will help the Panthers achieve one of coach Marty Simmons’ preseason goals.
“As we move forward, we’d like that identity to be our toughness, our physicality. Our ability to compete at a high level,” Simmons said before the season.
No Panther is averaging double-digit points through two games, but 7-footer Tanner Vogel has totaled 19 points and 18 rebounds.