SOUTH BEND — Three hundred and sixty-four days ago, Kelly Ratigan was on the other side of the floor, sitting on the Loyola Maryland bench injured as Notre Dame women’s basketball beat the Greyhounds 97-54. Nearly one year to the day later, the junior suited up for her hometown team as the Irish beat Bellarmine 110-38 in the seventh-largest win in program history.
She played 20-plus minutes for just the second time this season, and she earned one of the loudest receptions in a game with a lot of them when she scored her first points with a 3-pointer in the third quarter.
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“I wake up every day wanting to play hard for this team, because they instill confidence in me every single day,” Ratigan said. “The coaches, the girls, everybody on the staff. Every time I get to touch the floor, it means a lot.”
More: Ratigan, Smith bring hometown feel to Notre Dame women’s basketball
Sunday night was historic in many ways for a No. 20 Notre Dame women’s basketball team that has now won four games in a row and six of its last seven. The headliner, as always, was junior star Hannah Hidalgo.
Two years to the day after recording her first triple-double with the Irish, Hidalgo put up the first 30-point triple-double in program history – adding 10 assists and 13 steals, the second most in program history. She did all of that in just 22 minutes.
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With Notre Dame leading by more than 60 points in the fourth quarter, Hidalgo was still flying for loose balls, trying to save missed Bellarmine shots from falling out of bounds without a rebound. The ultimate competitor, Hidalgo has a switch she just can’t turn off.
“I’m super grateful to be on the court, and I thank God every day that I have the ability to play the game of basketball, but I think we’re just really excited to get home for Christmas,” Hidalgo said. “We gave it our all today, and we try to do it every day.”
More: Hannah Hidalgo sets Notre Dame women’s basketball single-game scoring, NCAA steals records
That much is evident by Hidalgo setting another program record with her 12th game with 30-plus points. She has accomplished that feat in just 78 games played.
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The 38 points allowed by Notre Dame is the third lowest in the Niele Ivey Era, and the 72-point margin of victory is the second largest of the sixth-year head coach’s tenure. Ivey showed no mercy against the Knights, sending out the Irish’s starting five to start the fourth quarter while holding a 62-point lead.
“They understand that we’re playing to our standard always, so it’s just making sure that message is clear,” Ivey said.
Senior Cass Prosper made personal history by grabbing a career-high 14 rebounds to go along with her fourth straight 20-plus point performance. Grad transfer Gisela Sanchez also had her best night in a Notre Dame uniform, notching her second double-double of the season with 10 rebounds, but her 17 points are the most she’s put up with the Irish through 11 games and just two points shy of a new career high.
More: Follow here for Notre Dame women’s basketball 2025-26 season coverage
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In fact, six Notre Dame players put up double digits against Bellarmine with fellow grad transfers Vanessa de Jesus (15), Iyanna Moore (13) and Malaya Cowles (10) also reaching the mark.
The Irish forced a season-high 33 turnovers on defense, with 28 of those coming via the steal. That’s the fifth most single-game steals in program history and the most of Ivey’s tenure.
This type of production in wake of former starting senior KK Bransford’s recent right knee injury is especially encouraging. Notre Dame, now sitting at 9-2, heads into a week off to celebrate the Holidays.
More: KK Bransford out indefinitely for Notre Dame women’s basketball
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While it will be difficult for the Irish to replicate this type of night now that they have no more games against non-Power-5 programs to look forward to, their next three games prior to a matchup against No. 18 North Carolina January 11 come against Atlantic Coast Conference foes with records at .500 or worse in Pitt (7-7), Georgia Tech (4-9), Duke (6-6) and Boston College (4-10).
“This team rallies,” Ivey said. “This team is resilient, I’ve learned … I’m loving what I’m seeing right now.”
Kyle Smedley is a sports reporter at the South Bend Tribune. Contact him via email at ksmedley@usatodayco.com or follow him on X @KyleSmedley03.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame women’s basketball make more history with Hannah Hidalgo
