Hannah Hidalgo helped No. 6 Notre Dame cruise to a commanding 91-55 victory over Lafayette on Sunday in Easton, Pennsylvania. The sophomore standout delivered an exceptional all-around performance, pacing all players with 29 points, five assists, five steals, three rebounds, and a block.
Her efforts helped the shorthanded Fighting Irish, who dressed only seven players due to injuries, secure their fourth consecutive win and remain undefeated this season.
Notre Dame (4-0) set a school record with 15 3-pointers, fueled in large part by Hidalgo’s sharpshooting. She went 9-for-14 from the field and hit an impressive 5-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Hidalgo’s impact was felt across all four quarters. She opened the game with seven points, three steals, and a rebound in the first quarter and continued her stellar play in the second, adding two 3-pointers, three assists, two rebounds, and three free throws. She capped off her night with 10 points, two steals, an assist, and a block in the second half.
The Fighting Irish dominated in other facets of the game as well, outrebounding Lafayette 51-35 and outpacing them 20-5 in fast-break points. Notre Dame also stifled the Leopards (1-3) defensively, holding them to just 35.9% shooting from the field.
Next up, the Irish head to Los Angeles on Saturday for a marquee matchup against No. 3 USC, pitting two First-Team AP All-Americans, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and USC’s JuJu Watkins, against each other in a clash of rising stars.
Hannah Hidalgo makes 'Wade Watch' list
Last week, Hannah Hidalgo was included in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) 'Wade Watch' list for the 2025 Wade Trophy, the oldest and most prestigious award in women's college hoops.
The 15-person list includes other women's college basketball stars such as Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins. Hidalgo and Watkins also made the watch list last season as first-year players. The award eventually went to Caitlin Clark for the second year in a row.
While she did not win the Wade Trophy, Hidalgo's freshman campaign was still nothing short of spectacular. She earned First-team All-ACC honors, along with ACC Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year accolades. She also became just the second freshman after Clark to win the Dawn Staley Award, which is presented to the nation's best guard.
She averaged 22.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 4.6 steals per game, helping propel Notre Dame to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
This season, Hannah Hidalgo again looks like a strong contender for the award. She is currently averaging 25 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 5.3 steals per contest. With Notre Dame off to a dominant and undefeated start, expectations are sky-high for Hidalgo as she continues to solidify her place as one of the top players in women’s college basketball.
Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey - who is NCAAW's highest-paid coach? Find out here