Hidalgo and Miles Shine as Notre Dame Stuns No. 2 UConn
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — If you tuned in to Thursday night’s top-10 showdown between Notre Dame and UConn, you witnessed a masterclass in basketball brilliance. The No. 8 Fighting Irish, led by the electric duo of Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles, handed the No. 2 Huskies their first loss of the season in a commanding 79-68 victory. And let’s be clear: this wasn’t just a win—it was a statement.
Before the game, UConn’s legendary coach Geno Auriemma had high praise for Notre Dame’s backcourt, calling it the best in the country. By the time the final buzzer sounded, Hidalgo and Miles had proven him absolutely right. The Irish led nearly the entire game, showcasing toughness, discipline, and a whole lot of swagger in front of their home crowd.
“This is a major win for us,” said Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey. “Obviously, it’s just one win, but I’m really grateful for this group and really proud of our effort and the way that we showed up today with such toughness and discipline.”
Hidalgo’s Star Power on Full Display
Hannah Hidalgo was nothing short of spectacular. The sophomore guard flirted with a triple-double, racking up 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. She was everywhere—scoring, facilitating, and even dominating on the boards. Hidalgo either scored or assisted on 48 of Notre Dame’s 79 points, a jaw-dropping stat that underscores her impact on the game.
Here’s a fun fact: Hidalgo became the first player in the past 25 seasons to record multiple games with at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists against UConn. Her first such performance came during her freshman season in Storrs. Talk about owning the moment.
And let’s not forget her shooting from beyond the arc. Hidalgo drained a career-best six 3-pointers on 11 attempts, while UConn struggled mightily from deep, going just 3-for-16. That disparity was a game-changer.
Momentum Swings and Game-Changing Plays
The Huskies found themselves in unfamiliar territory, trailing by as many as 13 points in the second quarter—their largest deficit of the season. But UConn being UConn, they clawed their way back in the third quarter, cutting the lead to just one point. Then came the dagger: Hidalgo nailed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the third quarter, a shot that sucked the life out of UConn and reignited Notre Dame’s fire.
The Irish carried that momentum into the fourth quarter, opening with a run that pushed their lead back into double digits. From there, they never looked back.
“Her talent is obvious,” Auriemma said of Hidalgo. “There’s a talent level that she has that’s pretty unique. But I think more importantly is the way she attacks everything that she does. The way she attacks your defense, the way when she’s on defense, she attacks your offense, and the way that she leads her team in so many different ways. I think you put all those three things together, and it’s just a really, really, really difficult matchup for anybody.”
Miles Overcomes Injury to Deliver
Olivia Miles, who missed all of last season with an ACL injury, had her own moment of adversity in the first quarter when she rolled her ankle and limped off the court. But the junior guard returned to the game and made her presence felt, finishing with 16 points, including a team-high nine in the fourth quarter.
Auriemma couldn’t help but marvel at the duo of Hidalgo and Miles. “I don’t know if there’s a better combination of guards than those two with how many different things they can hurt you with,” he said. “Those guys are attacking you for the entire 40 minutes. And I don’t know that I’ve seen anybody up close yet that can do that.”
Notre Dame’s Supporting Cast Steps Up
While Hidalgo and Miles stole the show, the Irish got key contributions from their supporting cast. Pitt transfer Liatu King was a force in the paint, recording a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Coach Ivey called her the team’s “X factor.” Meanwhile, Sonia Citron’s defense on UConn star Paige Bueckers was crucial. Bueckers finished with 25 points but started slow, scoring just two in the first quarter and going 0-for-4 from 3-point range.
Notre Dame’s Resurgence
It’s hard to believe this is the same Notre Dame team that suffered back-to-back losses to then-No. 17 TCU and unranked Utah during Feast Week. Since then, the Irish have racked up three top-five wins, including an overtime thriller against then-No. 4 Texas. They’re now one of just three teams in the past 25 seasons to notch three top-five victories before January, joining elite company in 2021-22 South Carolina and 2016-17 UConn.
“We had a tough stretch. We came back and we got back to work,” Ivey said. “They didn’t hang their heads. They just realized, OK, everybody has to do a little bit more. And they were focused and ready and prepared. And so I’m really happy with the grit and how we responded.”
What’s Next for the Irish?
Here’s the scary part for the rest of the country: Notre Dame isn’t even at full strength yet. Marquette transfer Liza Karlen made her season debut Thursday after recovering from a preseason injury, and Maddy Westbeld is expected to return later this season. With their full roster, the Irish could be a legitimate Final Four contender for the first time since 2019—and the first under Ivey.
Auriemma summed it up best: “If you put Notre Dame against any other team in the country, I don’t think anybody would be surprised if they won that game.”
Originally Written by: Alexa Philippou
