Notre Dame Dominates Stonehill with Stellar 18-Point Performances

Notre Dame opened its basketball season with a significant victory against Stonehill, winning 89-60 on November 6, 2024, in South Bend, Indiana. The game featured strong performances by Braeden Shrewsberry and Markus Burton, who both scored 18 points, leading their team after a successful previous season. Matt Allocco contributed 10 points, while Kebba Njie had a solid performance on the boards with 10 rebounds. Stonehill's Todd Brogna and other players also made substantial contributions but were unable to close the gap. The Fighting Irish built a commanding lead by the halftime break, with a score of 46-29, after a crucial 10-0 run midway through the first half. Shrewsberry's 3-pointer at the start of the second half pushed Notre Dame's lead to 20 points. As the game progressed, the Irish maintained their dominant performance, leading by as much as 27 points, with their largest lead coming from a late layup by Garrett Sundra. Both teams have a history of academic and athletic collaboration, as they are sister schools sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross. Their last meeting in basketball dates back to 1982, highlighting the tradition between the two programs. Returning 85.6% of their scoring from the previous season, expectations are high for the Fighting Irish as they look to build on their performance in the Atlantic Coast Conference this year.