Losing Olivia Miles turned out to be a bigger blow than Niele Ivey likely anticipated. The Fighting Irish never truly replaced Miles’ all-around impact, and the responsibility of carrying the team fell almost entirely on Hannah Hidalgo’s shoulders, who continues to give everything each game.
Following consecutive losses to unranked Georgia Tech and Duke, expectations around Notre Dame dropped fast. It wasn’t for a lack of effort from Hannah Hidalgo, who combined for 48 points in those games, but the lack of depth around her. Even so, Hidalgo helped Notre Dame secure an unlikely win this Sunday.
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Hidalgo posted 31 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 7 steals in a dominant all-around performance that helped the Fighting Irish beat No. 22 North Carolina 73–50. It was just their second win over a ranked opponent and arguably their biggest victory of the season.
Sunday was always going to be a major indicator of whether Notre Dame could still compete for an ACC championship and an NCAA Tournament spot. For the first time since 2021, the Irish had fallen out of the Associated Press Top-25 Poll after dropping those two games to unranked opponents.
And Hidalgo kept those postseason hopes alive with another big performance. Showing up when the lights are bright has become second nature for her.
Earlier this season, she drilled a game-winner against USC, their first-ranked win of the season. She’s now up to 14 career 30-point games, more than anyone in Notre Dame history. Five of those are just from this season. Oh, and Sunday was her 83rd straight game in double figures.
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She’s the definition of a one-woman army.
She picked up seven steals and helped force 22 UNC turnovers. Notre Dame made them pay with a 27–5 advantage in points off turnovers. They also had 15 fast-break points, and almost every one of them ran through Hidalgo. She either finished the play or helped break the play with her defense.
The Fighting Irish also put together a 22–5 third-quarter run that was arguably the best 10 minutes of basketball Niele Ivey’s team has played all season, and it came from an unexpected source. Vanessa de Jesus scored 11 points in the quarter, knocked down three treys, and finished with 16 points overall, her highest total since joining the program.
In a season where Notre Dame’s depth has been heavily questioned, de Jesus’ performance is a bright spot for what the future could hold.
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What’s next for Hannah Hidalgo and co?
Notre Dame sits at 12–4 overall and 4–2 in the ACC. They haven’t quite matched last year’s strong start, but beating the North Carolina Tar Heels was a real statement. It gives Hidalgo and the rest of the group some momentum heading into a very difficult stretch of games.
Notre Dame now gets No. 10 Louisville, followed by No. 1 UConn. Two ranked tests in a row. The 23-point statement win will likely push them back into the Top 25, but taking down those two teams is easier said than done.
ESPN has Notre Dame at 50% to beat Louisville, but only 4.5% against UConn. A lot will depend on how Hidalgo performs, but she’ll need support from others, including Cassandre Prosper, who recorded her sixth double-double of the season, and Vanessa de Jesus. It cannot be a one-woman show if the Irish want to win their next two games.
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Regardless of what happens in the upcoming stretch, the Fighting Irish still look like a team that will most likely hear its name called on Selection Sunday. With senior guard KK Bransford expected to return before the end of the regular season, we could see a much better version of Notre Dame by March.
The post Hannah Hidalgo Leads Unranked Notre Dame to Rare Season Feat Vs No.22 UNC appeared first on EssentiallySports.
