Numerous hand-made signs were scattered throughout the crowd at Moody Coliseum in Dallas for Notre Dame women’s basketball’s Sunday, Feb. 22 road game vs. SMU. Despite playing in Dallas, approximately 987 miles away from the Irish’s home in South Bend, most of those fans held up signs in support of Hannah Hidalgo.
It was the junior’s 21st birthday, and many in attendance knew it. Hidalgo seemed to be inspired by her big day, dropping a 31-point, 11-steal double-double in what was her sixth such performance of the season.
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She came one rebound shy of her second triple-double of the season.
“Every time I step on the court, I’m grateful to play; and I don’t want to take this game for granted, so I go out and give it my all every time,” Hidalgo said.
Hidalgo’s 11 steals marked the fourth time this season she has swiped 10 plus, and it boosts her nation-leading average to 5.6 per game. No other player averages more than five, and just one in Power-5 steals four-plus per game.
“I think my mindset, always, when I’m pressuring the ball is to strike fear into the ballhandler’s eyes,” Hidalgo said. “Make them afraid to dribble the ball and make them want to give the ball up … It makes it a lot easier on my teammates lives when we don’t have to play in that halfcourt [offense].”
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Hidalgo felt that Notre Dame wasn’t playing its best basketball in the first half, despite holding a 10-point lead at the break. That said, the Mustangs did get out to a 5-0 lead to start the game and were outrebounding the Irish at halftime, an advantage they kept even in defeat.
So, the Irish came out in the third quarter and went on a 19-4 run through the first five and a half minutes. Notre Dame finished the period with a 30-15 advantage and led SMU 74-49 heading into the fourth.
More: Hannah Hidalgo approaches triple-double in Notre Dame win vs SMU
The eventual 25-point victory stands as the Irish’s third straight win, and they led by at least 27 in all three of them. Notre Dame has also won five of its last six games, and its victories against Wake Forest and SMU mark the first back-to-back road wins this season.
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Head coach Niele Ivey, who has spoke all year about the importance of consistency, said the Irish are hitting their stride at just the right time with just two regular season games remaining.
“We understand that every game is such an important game for our résumé but also for us trying to trend in the right direction, and I think that’s what we’re doing,” Ivey said. “I love their energy. I love how focused they are.”
Up next is Notre Dame’s final home game of the season, a 7 p.m. tilt against Syracuse (21-6, 11-5 ACC) Thursday, Feb. 26 at Purcell Pavilion. The Orange are coming off a double-digit loss to North Carolina State (18-9, 11-5 ACC) in Raleigh Sunday.
As the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) standings have the Irish sitting in ninth and Syracuse in fourth, Notre Dame is 2-2 against top five conference foes. Hidalgo said wins like Sunday’s — no matter the opponent’s quality — gives the Irish confidence heading into the most important part of the season.
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“That’s big for us,” Hidalgo said. “We want to keep winning, and I think consistency has been a big word we’ve been using this year.”
More: Follow here for Notre Dame women’s basketball 2025-26 season coverage
After the Orange, Notre Dame hits the road for a 4 p.m. regular season finale vs. Louisville (24-5, 14-2 ACC) Sunday, March 1 on ESPN2. The Cardinals lost at home to Virginia (19-8, 11-5 ACC) Feb. 22, and Louisville’s second-leading scorer — sophomore Tajianna Roberts — left the game with an apparent lower leg injury.
Tournament time begins soon after the Irish’s home/road split caps off the regular season, with the ACC Tournament beginning Wednesday, March 4 in Duluth, Georgia. With Hidalgo putting up one of her best statlines of the season, grad student Iyana Moore dropping her third 20-point game of the season and a strong 26-6 points-off-turnover advantage vs. SMU, Notre Dame should view its successful road trip as a launching pad, because each game from here on out is the biggest of the season.
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Kyle Smedley is a sports reporter at the South Bend Tribune. Contact him via email at ksmedley@usatodayco.com or follow him on X @KyleMSmedley.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo celebrates 21st birthday with win over SMU
