SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Interstat) — Notre Dame used a dominant second-half performance to pull away from Eastern Illinois for a 78-58 victory in a non-conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at a subdued Joyce Athletic Center.

A crowd of 3,618 watched the Fightin’ Irish improve to 3-0 on the young season, while the Panthers fell to 1-2.

The game was a tight, back-and-forth affair for the first 20 minutes, with Notre Dame taking a narrow 31-28 lead into halftime. The second half, however, belonged entirely to the home team. Notre Dame erupted for 47 points after the break, nearly doubling its first-half output, while its defense clamped down to hold Eastern Illinois to 30 points.

The decisive run came early in the second period. Leading 34-31, Notre Dame unleashed a 14-2 surge over a four-minute span to seize control. The burst was fueled by its backcourt, with Markus Burton and Braeden Shrewsberry connecting from long range and Jalen Haralson attacking the basket. The Panthers had no answer for the increased tempo and offensive execution, as the Irish lead ballooned to 48-33 and never dipped below double digits again.

Notre Dame’s offensive balance was on full display. Shrewsberry, a guard from Granger, Indiana, led all scorers with 18 points, including four 3-pointers. Burton, a hometown product from Mishawaka, Indiana, was equally impactful, scoring 17 of his 21 points in the second half to go with three assists. Haralson, a versatile 6-foot-7 forward from Anderson, Indiana, provided a crucial spark off the bench with 17 points, five rebounds and three assists.

The Irish also dominated the interior, outscoring the Panthers 38-18 in the paint and outrebounding them decisively. Carson Towt, a 6-foot-8 forward, was a force on the glass, hauling in 11 rebounds to go with five points and three assists.

Eastern Illinois was led by Kooper Jacobi, who kept the Panthers competitive in the first half. The Sellersburg, Indiana, native finished with a team-high 20 points. Preston Turner added 14 points and Zion Fruster chipped in 11, but the Panthers struggled to find consistent offense against Notre Dame’s defensive pressure, which generated 21 points off turnovers.

The game was a homecoming for several players on both sides. Eastern Illinois featured Jacobi and Notre Dame’s roster included Shrewsberry, Burton and Haralson, all Indiana natives.

The victory sets up a significant early-season test for Notre Dame, which travels to face Ohio State on Sunday. Eastern Illinois continues a challenging road stretch with a game at Kentucky on Friday.