Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo missed the first game of her college career as the No. 3 Fighting Irish faced off against the Clemson Tigers.
Ahead of the game, Hidalgo was seen wearing a brace on her right ankle and sitting out of warmups. The sophomore standout was sidelined after tweaking her ankle late in last Thursday’s game against Wake Forest.
"She rolled her ankle late in the last game, and we just want to give her a bit of extra rest and make sure she’s 100% for the rest of the season," a Notre Dame spokesperson stated.
Head coach Niele Ivey also provided an update after the game.
"Just really cautious. She rolled it on Thursday, so we’re just being extra careful, making sure she gets that proper rest, and then we’ll assess her this week," the coach said.
Hidalgo’s absence adds to a growing list of injured Notre Dame players this season, including graduate senior forwards Liza Karlen, Maddy Westbeld and Liatu King and senior guard Sonia Citron, among others. Graduate senior center Kylee Watson and junior guard KK Bransford have yet to play this season.
Hidalgo has been a key contributor for the Fighting Irish, building on her impressive freshman All-American campaign. Through 15 games, she is averaging 25.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 4.1 steals in 35.3 minutes per game while shooting 50.4% from the field and 45.8% from three-point range. She leads the ACC in both steals and minutes played, making her an essential part of Notre Dame’s success as the No. 3 team in the nation.
It remains uncertain whether Hidalgo will return to the lineup this Thursday when the Fighting Irish host No. 13 Georgia Tech (15-1, 3-1) in a pivotal ACC matchup.
Notre Dame Secures Win Over Clemson Without Hannah Hidalgo
Despite Hannah Hidalgo's absence, Notre Dame overcame the challenge. The Irish could not shake off the valiant offense of the Clemson Tigers, but the hosts maintained a single-digit lead for the duration of the game.
Liatu King stepped up in a big way, scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter to help Notre Dame pull away. The graduate forward finished with an impressive double-double of 23 points, 11 rebounds and one block in 38 minutes. She was highly efficient, shooting 10-of-14 from the field and 3-of-6 from the free-throw line.
Olivia Miles also made a significant contribution, coming close to a double-double with 17 points, nine assists, four rebounds and a block while playing a team-high 39 minutes. Cassandre Prosper, who started in place of Hidalgo, added six points, three rebounds and three assists.
"This is a really tough place to play. Any type of game on the road in the ACC is huge, so really proud of this group and this effort. ... Everybody stepped up and did something well. Just a lot of contributions from the entire team; we were down a body, and everybody stepped up and did a little bit more," said head coach Niele Ivey.
While Hidalgo’s rebounding and playmaking were missed, the Irish still won the rebounding battle (40-35) and tallied 19 assists, displaying their resilience and championship mentality.
Notre Dame returns to South Bend for two consecutive home games, starting with No. 13 Georgia Tech on Thursday and SMU on Friday. The matchup with SMU will be the first since the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
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