2024 North Carolina Sports Network
Atlantic Coast Conference Basketball Spotlight:
University of Notre Dame
By Ben McCormick
North Carolina Sports Network
School: University of Notre Dame
Location: Notre Dame, Ind. (just north of South Bend)
Previous Conference Affiliations: Independent (1896-1995), Big East (1995-2013)
ACC Member Since: 2013-14
ACC Ranking Among 32 Leagues (KenPom): 7th (2023), 5th (2022), 5th (2021), 4th (2020)
NCAA Tournament Bids: 37 (1953, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022)
NCAA Championships: 0
Final Fours: 1 (1978)
Conference Titles: 1 (2015 in ACC)
Conference 1st-Place Finishes: 1 (2001 in Big East)
Head Coach: Micah Shrewsberry (47, 1st season)
As A Player: Hanover (1995-99)
Record As Head Coach (through Jan. 5): 43-39 (.524) in 2+ seasons
Previous HC Experience: IU South Bend/NAIA (2005-07), Penn State (2021-23)
AC Experience: Wabash (1999-2000), DePauw (2001-03), Butler (2007-11), Purdue (2011-13; 2019-21), Boston Celtics/NBA (2013-19)
Assistant Under: Brad Stevens (Butler and Celtics), Matt Painter (Purdue)
2022-23 Record: 11-21, 3-17 (14th in 15-team ACC)
2023-24 Preseason Prediction (Coaches): 15th in 15-team ACC
2023-24 Record (Through Jan. 5): 6-8, 1-2 ACC
2023-24 Midseason Ranking (AP Poll/KenPom): #165 nationally (14th in ACC)
Upcoming Schedule Highlights: #14 Duke (1/6), at Georgia Tech (1/9), Florida State (1/13), at Boston College (1/15)
Following the 2022-23 season, Mike Brey stepped down after 23 seasons as the head coach at Notre Dame. He ended his tenure as the winningest coach in the 119-year history of the program.
While Brey did not step away from coaching altogether (he’s now an assistant with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks), he left the Fighting Irish with a search for a new head coach for the first time since 2000.
That search led to Micah Shrewsberry, who took Penn State to the Big Ten championship game and a rare trip to the NCAA Tournament last year, in just his second season with the Nittany Lions. Shrewsberry previously was a long-time assistant to coaching standouts Brad Stevens (Butler, Boston Celtics) and Matt Painter (Purdue).
Shrewsberry inherited a roster from Brey on which the highest returning scorer, veteran forward Matt Zona, posted just 1.7 points per game in 2022-23.
So, Shrewsberry hit the recruiting trail. He brought in an array of talented newcomers, including fabulous point guard Markus Burton, the reigning ACC Rookie of the Week, who is leading all ACC freshmen in scoring at 16 points per game. Shrewsberry also brought in his son, Braedon, a guard who is playing a major role off the bench.
While some of the new faces have had instant impacts, Shrewsberry knows building a program takes time.
“We’re a program that’s really built on development,” Shrewsberry said. “I don’t think about anybody’s expectations but our own as a program. So all we’re focused on is getting better every single day and improving every single day.”
There are certainly differences in the playing styles of Brey and Shrewsberry.
“I think they both have a lot of similarities and differences,” Zona said. “I think Coach Brey maybe was more focused on vibes, if that’s a good way to put it. But it was all about guys playing with a ton of freedom. We do have a ton of freedom in Coach (Shrewsberry’s) offense, but it’s controlled freedom, and doing it correctly.”
Brey’s last season wasn’t one Irish fans will remember fondly. Notre Dame finished conference play 3-17 and placed 14th in the ACC. The team’s obvious flaws, paired with Brey’s departure, led to generally low expectations for this year’s squad.
So far, the Irish have mostly confirmed the doubters, suffering some tough losses to low-major opponents, such as Western Carolina and The Citadel, and especially struggling on offense against most opponents.
However, while the Shrewsberry era got off to an understandably shaky start, given the transition and roster turnover, things appear to be slowly improving.
Notre Dame claimed an impressive 22-point win over Virginia on Dec. 30, and the Irish were ahead for all but 0.6 seconds in their latest game, against NC State. Although it resulted in another loss, the Irish’s effort prior to the final minute showed the ongoing progress of the team.
2023-24 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
(6-8, 1-2 ACC; through Jan. 5)
Starters
PG Markus Burton, Fr. — 33 mpg, 16 ppg, 3 rpg, 42% FG, 82% FT, 27% threes, 55/57 ATO, 4 blocks, 20 steals
(5-11/166); 2023 Indiana Mr. Basketball; Penn HS, Mishawaka, Ind.
G Julian Roper II, Jr. — 29 mpg, 8 ppg, 5 rpg, 42% FG, 54% FT, 35% threes, 9/17 ATO, 1 block, 15 steals
(6-4/210); 2023 Northwestern transfer (reserve); St. Mary’s HS, Detroit, Mich.
G J.R. Konieczny, Jr. — 27 mpg, 10 ppg, 6 rpg, 44% FG, 85% FT, 32% threes, 13/14 ATO, 4 blocks, 10 steals
(6-7/204); 2023 redshirt, 2022 reserve at Notre Dame; St. Joseph HS, South Bend, Ind.
F Tae Davis, So. — 26 mpg, 8 ppg, 6 rpg, 48% FG, 68% FT, 14% threes, 10/24 ATO, 5 blocks, 8 steals
(6-9/208); 2023 Seton Hall transfer (reserve); Warren Central HS, Indianapolis, Ind.
F Kebba Nije, So. — 25 mpg, 4 ppg, 5 rpg, 30% FG, 73% FT, 20% threes, 7/11 ATO, 10 blocks, 4 steals
(6-10/254); 2023 Penn State transfer (starter); La Lumiere HS, Centerville, Ohio
Key Reserves
G Braedon Shrewsberry, Fr. — 26 mpg, 7 ppg, 2 rpg, 32% FG, 82% FT, 27% threes, 13/14 ATO, 0 blocks, 6 steals
(6-3/189); Pennsylvania Mr. Basketball finalist; State College Area HS, State College, Pa.
G Logan Imes, Fr. — 17 mpg, 2 ppg, 2 rpg, 29% FG, 86% FT, 18% threes, 12/8 ATO, 3 blocks, 8 steals
(6-4/189); 3rd-team all-state as HS senior, Zionsville HS, Zionsville, Ind.
F Carey Booth, Fr. — 18 mpg, 7 ppg, 4 rpg, 42% FG, 56% FT, 32% threes, 8/11 ATO, 7 blocks, 3 steals
(6-10/203); top-50 HS senior; Brewster (N.H.) Academy; Cherry Creek (Colo.) HS, Englewood, Colo.
F Matt Zona, Sr. — 12 mpg, 3 ppg, 2 rpg, 46% FG, 50% FT, 39% threes, 12/2 ATO, 3 blocks, 6 steals
(6-9/252); played 7 mpg in 2022-23; Bergen (N.J.) Catholic HS; Blauvelt, N.Y.
*—returning starter (started at least 50% of current team’s games last season)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
10-Year Snapshot
Season — Overall, League (Place), Postseason
2022-23: 11-21, 3-17 ACC (14th), no postseason (Mike Brey)
2021-22: 24-11, 15-5 ACC (2nd), NCAA Round of 32 (Mike Brey)
2020-21: 11-15, 7-11 ACC (11th), no postseason (Mike Brey)
2019-20: 20-12, 10-10 ACC (6th), COVID (Mike Brey)
2018-19: 14-19, 3-15 ACC (14th), no postseason (Mike Brey)
2017-18: 21-15, 8-10 ACC (10th), NIT Sweet 16 (Mike Brey)
2016-17: 26-10, 12-6 ACC (2nd), NCAA Round of 32 (Mike Brey)
2015-16: 24-12, 11-7 ACC (5th), NCAA Elite Eight (Mike Brey)
2014-15: 32-6, 14-4 ACC* (3rd), NCAA Elite Eight (Mike Brey)
2013-14: 15-17, 6-12 ACC (11th), no postseason (Mike Brey)
*—conference champion
NOTE: Please visit the North Carolina Sports Network’s 2023-24 profiles and 10-year snapshots for all 19 Division One men’s basketball programs in North Carolina and all 15 Atlantic Coast Conference programs.
Campbell Camels, Coastal Athletic Association
Charlotte 49ers, American Athletic Conference
Davidson Wildcats, Atlantic-10 Conference
Duke Blue Devils, Atlantic Coast Conference
East Carolina Pirates, American Athletic Conference
Elon Phoenix, Coastal Athletic Association
Gardner-Webb Runnin’Bulldogs, Big South Conference
High Point Panthers, Big South Conference
NC Central Eagles, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
North Carolina Tar Heels, Atlantic Coast Conference
North Carolina A&T Aggies, Coastal Athletic Association
Queens Royals, Atlantic Sun Conference
UNC Asheville Bulldogs, Big South Conference
UNC Greensboro Spartans, Southern Conference
UNC Wilmington Seahawks, Coastal Athletic Association
