SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Interstat) — Notre Dame delivered a balanced and dominant performance Saturday, defeating Evansville 82-58 at Joyce Athletic Center. The Fighting Irish improved to 9-3 while the Purple Aces fell to 4-7. Notre Dame led wire-to-wire, scoring 41 points in each half. Braeden Shrewsberry led all scorers with 26 points for the Irish. Sir Mohammed added 21 points. Evansville’s Connor Turnbull posted 17 points and nine rebounds in the loss. A crowd of 4,323 saw Notre Dame cover the 17-point spread as a heavy favorite. The Irish shot efficiently from the floor, while Evansville struggled offensively throughout. Notre Dame concludes its nonconference schedule Dec. 21 against Fort Wayne.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Interstat) — Braeden Shrewsberry scored 26 points and Sir Mohammed added 21 as Notre Dame used a dominant first-half shooting display to roll past Evansville 82-58 in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at a sold-out Joyce Center. A crowd of 4,323 watched the Fighting Irish improve to 9-3, while the Purple Aces fell to 4-7. The most important part of the game was Notre Dame’s blistering start from beyond the arc, which effectively decided the contest before halftime. The Irish connected on 10 of 17 three-point attempts in the opening period, building a commanding 41-29 lead at the break that they would never relinquish. Evansville, conversely, struggled to find any offensive rhythm, shooting just 39.6% from the field for the game and committing 13 turnovers. Shrewsberry, a guard from Granger, Indiana, was the catalyst, hitting 6 of 10 from three-point range. His backcourt mate, Mohammed from Charlotte, North Carolina, was equally efficient, scoring his 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including three three-pointers, and adding three assists and three steals. Their combined perimeter assault overwhelmed an Evansville defense that had no consistent answer. The Purple Aces were led by Connor Turnbull’s 17 points and nine rebounds. The 6-foot-10 forward from Saint Paul, Minnesota, also blocked four shots. Joshua Hughes, a 6-foot-10 forward from Brisbane, Australia, contributed 14 points and five rebounds for Evansville. Notre Dame’s offensive execution was precise, finishing with an offensive rating of 117.0 points per 100 possessions, compared to Evansville’s 89.0. The Irish also shared the ball effectively, dishing out 19 assists on 28 made field goals, and their defense generated nine steals. The second half offered no respite for the visitors, as Notre Dame maintained its double-digit lead throughout, matching its first-half output with another 41 points. The Irish finished the game shooting 47.5% from the field and a scorching 56% from three-point range. Evansville managed only 8-of-24 shooting from deep and was outrebounded 36-30. Kebba Njie, a 6-foot-10 center from Centerville, Ohio, controlled the glass for Notre Dame with a game-high 10 rebounds. The Irish also benefited from a balanced effort, with Garrett Sundra scoring seven points and Carson Towt and Logan Imes each pulling down six rebounds. For Evansville, Keishon Porter added nine points, and AJ Casey had nine points and three rebounds off the bench. The victory extends Notre Dame’s winning streak to four games as it heads into the final stretch of nonconference play. Evansville, which has lost four of its last five, will look to regroup quickly with its Missouri Valley Conference schedule on the horizon. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Notre Dame had a 92.8% probability to win pregame. The Irish covered the pregame spread of 17 points, and the total score of 140 fell under the over/under line of 139.

Preview: Evansville at Notre Dame SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Interstat) — The Notre Dame Fighting Irish look to continue their strong non-conference play when they host the Evansville Purple Aces in men’s basketball on Saturday, Dec. 13, at the Joyce Athletic Center. Notre Dame (8-3) enters with momentum, having won three straight games, including an 80-65 victory over Idaho on Wednesday. The Fighting Irish have been efficient at home, boasting a 5-1 record in South Bend this season. Evansville (4-6) seeks to rebound from a heartbreaking 80-79 road loss at Western Kentucky on Dec. 6. The Purple Aces have struggled away from home, with a 1-3 record in true road games. The matchup features a compelling clash in the frontcourt. Evansville’s player to watch is Connor Turnbull, a dominant force who is coming off a historic performance. In the loss to Western Kentucky, the forward logged 35 minutes, scoring 19 points, grabbing eight rebounds and blocking nine shots. Over his last three full games, Turnbull is averaging 19.3 points and 5.7 blocks. Notre Dame will counter with forward Carson Towt, who is coming off a season-high 19 points against Idaho. Towt has been a consistent contributor, averaging 13.0 points over his last two outings and providing a steady presence on the boards. The Irish have shown resilience in close games, winning in overtime at TCU on Dec. 5. Evansville has proven it can compete with high-major opponents, securing a road win at Oregon State on Nov. 21 but also suffering lopsided losses to Akron and Purdue. For Evansville, containing Towt and the balanced Notre Dame offense will be critical. For the Irish, mitigating Turnbull’s rim protection and forcing turnovers will be key to maintaining control at home. This game marks the final tune-up for Notre Dame before a break for finals and a road trip to Stanford. Evansville returns home to face Belmont on Dec. 16. Tip-off is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.