Jaeden Mustaf knew what playing alongside Markus Burton could look like before the two ever took the floor together at Indiana.
“Me knowing he was coming here is another big reason why I’m here,” Mustaf said.
On Monday night, Burton showed why. The Indiana guard scored 19 points on 7 for 8 shooting, burried all three of his 3-point attempts and had five assists against one turnover in the Hoosiers’ 91-57 season-opening win over Eastern Illinois.
The scoring stood out. But the way Burton created for everyone around him showed what Indiana needs from its lead guard.
“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,” Mustaf said. “He makes it a lot easier for us.”
Burton gave Indiana both versions of himself Monday. He hit a left-wing three for the Hoosiers’ first field goal, then connected again after Sam Alexis kept a possession alive with an offensive rebound.
When Indiana’s offense stalled later in the half, Burton helped get it moving without taking the shot himself.
The Hoosiers went nearly six minutes between field goals before Burton found Trent Sisley underneath for a dunk with 4:50 remaining. It was his third assist to Sisley, following a layup and a transition three earlier in the half.
Later, Burton delivered a dump-off to a trailing Alexis for a transition dunk, pushing Indiana’s lead to 36-21 and prompting an Eastern Illinois timeout.
The Hoosiers closed the half on a 20-2 run. Burton was finding opportunities for himself, but he was also helping teammates get easier ones.
“I feel like for me it’s always been who I am,” Burton said. “Obviously, Coach preaches on me just making my teammates better. That’s what I’m here to do. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
For Darian DeVries, that balance has become more apparent in recent weeks.
Burton’s aggressiveness has increased, and not just when he is looking to score. Getting into the paint forces defenders to react. What Burton does with that attention is the important piece.
“He’s getting everybody to collapse and then he’s spraying out,” DeVries said. “And that’s exactly what we want from him.”
That ability matters for an Indiana offense still learning how to play together. There were stretches Monday when possessions became stagnant, and Burton acknowledged afterward that efficiency would take time with so many new pieces.
His ability to attack gives the Hoosiers a way to create movement when it does.
DeVries also sees a player whose physical explosiveness has progressed since the summer.
“He’s got his burst back,” DeVries said. “He’s getting to his spots again.”
The outside shooting adds another element. DeVries credited Burton’s work with Coach Johnson and the time he has invested in becoming a more efficient 3-point shooter. Just as important to DeVries was the selection behind Monday’s makes.
“He’s aggressive, but he’s finding the right ones,” DeVries said. “So that’s important.”
There is still room to clean things up. Burton picked up his fourth foul with 9:40 remaining, and DeVries pointed to avoiding unnecessary fouls as an area for improvement. Still, the coach praised his defensive tenacity, particularly late in the first half.
By the time Burton checked out with about five minutes remaining, the Assembly Hall crowd offered another noticeable round of applause. He had heard a loud reception during introductions, too.
“I thought that was really cool,” Burton said. “Obviously I’m an Indiana kid, I’m from South Bend. Just hearing the recognition and hearing it, it was a great experience playing in Assembly Hall in front of all those great fans.”
Mustaf already had his reasons for wanting to share a backcourt with Burton. In their first regular-season game as Hoosiers, Burton made those reasons clear as day.
Discover more from Hoosier Huddle
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.