Markus Burton Showed Indiana He's Much More Than Just A Scorer In Season Opener

Everybody knew Markus Burton could score. That was never the question.

The Notre Dame transfer arrived in Bloomington this offseason with a reputation as one of college basketball's most dangerous offensive weapons. But Indiana doesn't just need Burton to put the ball in the basket. It needs him to make everybody around him better.

In Monday night's 91-57 season-opening win over Eastern Illinois, Burton showed he can plenty of both.

Burton finished with a game-high 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 mark from beyond the arc. But perhaps the most encouraging part of his Indiana debut had little to do with his scoring.

He dished out five assists, committed just one turnover and looked every bit the floor general the Hoosiers need him to be.

More than just a bucket-getter

There's a different between being a great scorer and being a great point guard. Burton spent much of his first two collegiate seasons proving he could be the former. On Monday, he offered a glimpse of what he could become as the latter.

Rather than hunting his own shot every trip down the floor, Burton took what the defense gave him, consistently putting pressure on Eastern Illinois' defense and forcing defenders to make a choice.

Collapse on him, and he'd find an open teammate. Give him room, and he'd make the Panthers pay for it.

"His aggressiveness has really cranked up. It's not just scoring," Indiana coach Darian DeVries said postgame. "He's being aggressive and making plays. Sometimes that's with him finishing it with a shot attempt. There are other times he's getting in there and getting everybody to collapse, and then he's spraying it out."

For a player who hadn't appeared in a regular-season game in 332 days after suffering a season-ending ankle injury at Notre Dame last season, Burton looked remarkably comfortable directing Indiana's offense.

"Coach preaches to me just making my teammates better," Burton said. "That's what I'm here to do. That's what I'm trying to do."

Making everybody else better

Perhaps nobody appreciates Burton's presence more than his backcourt partners.

Jaeden Mustaf, who started alongside Burton on Monday, didn't hesitate when asked how much easier the veteran point guard makes his job.

"A lot easier," Mustaf said. "Me knowing he was coming here is another big reason why I'm here.

"You know how great of a scorer he is, but I don't think he gets enough credit for as much of a playmaker he can be as well. He makes it a lot easier for us."

Burton's impact wasn't limited to the offensive end, either.

DeVries praised his defensive tenacity, particularly late in the first half, when Indiana's defense helped put the game out of reach. However, Burton's four personal fouls were a reminder that there's still room for improvement.

Eastern Illinois isn't the kind of opponent that will ultimately determine whether Burton belongs among the Big Ten's elite point guards. There will be tougher defenses, more physical matchups and nights when his jumper isn't falling.

But Monday provided an encouraging early indication that Burton can influence games in several different ways.

Indiana already knew it had a scorer in Burton. What it might have found is something even more valuable: a point guard who can make everyone around him better.

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