Notre Dame 2025-2026 Regular-Season Thread.

[Dillon77]

ND Beats Ohio State 83-73 in Columbus To Advance to Sweet 16
I'd call this an upset except Coach McGuff's Buckeyes have now lost three at home three years running.
Nonetheless, the Irish came in to face OSU's press...and promptly forced the Buckeyes into 21 turnovers, led by -- who else? -- Hannah Hidalgo's 8 steals.
In addition to those 8 steals, she finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds. She had ample support: Vanessa de Jesus scored 15 points, Cass Prosper and Iyana Moore both scored 13 and KK Bransford came off the bench to score 10. In addition to causing the 21 turnovers (as opposed to their 15), ND also outrebounded the Buckeyes 36-31. Save for Else Lemmila, OSU runs four guards and the Irish could and did attack the lane.

Jaloni Cambridge was a one-person wrecking crew for the Buckeyes. She shot spectacularly (15-25 from field, 5-8 from three and 10-13 from FT) but also had 7 of OSU's turnovers. Lemmila had 9 points and 10 rebounds but only took 6 shots..

The Irish are now 24-10 and will await the winner of the Illinois vs. Vandy game.

 

[oldude]

ND Beats Ohio State 83-73 in Columbus To Advance to Sweet 16
I'd call this an upset except Coach McGuff's Buckeyes have now lost three at home three years running.
Nonetheless, the Irish came in to face OSU's press...and promptly forced the Buckeyes into 21 turnovers, led by -- who else? -- Hannah Hidalgo's 8 steals.
In addition to those 8 steals, she finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds. She had ample support: Vanessa de Jesus scored 15 points, Cass Prosper and Iyana Moore both scored 13 and KK Bransford came off the bench to score 10. In addition to causing the 21 turnovers (as opposed to their 15), ND also outrebounded the Buckeyes 36-31. Save for Else Lemmila, OSU runs four guards and the Irish could and did attack the lane.

Jaloni Cambridge was a one-person wrecking crew for the Buckeyes. She shot spectacularly (15-25 from field, 5-8 from three and 10-13 from FT) but also had 7 of OSU's turnovers. Lemmila had 9 points and 10 rebounds but only took 6 shots..

The Irish are now 24-10 and will await the winner of the Illinois vs. Vandy game.

I told you the Irish were not going to be welcome at whichever of the top 16 seeds were unfortunate enough to draw them. 😎

 

[Dillon77]

I told you the Irish were not going to be welcome at whichever of the top 16 seeds were unfortunate enough to draw them. 😎

I'm very pleased to admit you were right.
The Hannah Hidalgo Experience is fully in key right now. Look forward to a battle of the former Jersey stars: Hidalgo and ND and Blakes/Pissot and Vandy.

 

[oldude]

I'm very pleased to admit you were right.
The Hannah Hidalgo Experience is fully in key right now. Look forward to a battle of the former Jersey stars: Hidalgo and ND and Blakes/Pissot and Vandy.

Looking forward to the game. Certainly Vandy is the favorite. But the Irish and Hidalgo are scary right now, playing their best basketball of the season and capable of pulling off another big upset.

 

[ABCDFE]

Hannah Hidalgo is sooooo gooood

 

[Frankus]

I'm very pleased to admit you were right.
The Hannah Hidalgo Experience is fully in key right now. Look forward to a battle of the former Jersey stars: Hidalgo and ND and Blakes/Pissot and Vandy.

Since we didn't make the Sweet 16 with more talent last year, I am very happy seeing how hard this team plays defensively comparatively, and how HH has gelled with de Jesus and Moore. We gave Duke a dogfight, and I expect one against Vandy.

We can't let them dominate rebounding, which is our achilles heal when we face an athletic team with an athletic big like Aiyana Mitchell.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Hannah Hidalgo is sooooo gooood

She's approaching "best player in the history of the ACC" territory.

 

[JellyBean]

That was a great game! Hats off to Notre Dame and Coach Ivey!! Hannah is just a joy to watch out there. She just reminds me of Ruthie Bolton out there. Just that grit and grind mindset. She is going to beat you with her shooting, her passing, her rebounding, or her ability to defend! She is what makes the game fun to watch. Congrats, ND!!

 

[cancontent]

That was a great game! Hats off to Notre Dame and Coach Ivey!! Hannah is just a joy to watch out there. She just reminds me of Ruthie Bolton out there. Just that grit and grind mindset. She is going to beat you with her shooting, her passing, her rebounding, or her ability to defend! She is what makes the game fun to watch. Congrats, ND!!

Now that's an interesting comparison. Love it.

 

[WBBTakeover]

That was a great game! Hats off to Notre Dame and Coach Ivey!! Hannah is just a joy to watch out there. She just reminds me of Ruthie Bolton out there. Just that grit and grind mindset. She is going to beat you with her shooting, her passing, her rebounding, or her ability to defend! She is what makes the game fun to watch. Congrats, ND!!

To me, Hannah gives "Skylar Diggins and Alana Beard had a right-handed baby".

 

[JellyBean]

To me, Hannah gives "Skylar Diggins and Alana Beard had a right-handed baby".

I like that comparison better.

 

[sivad40]

Since we didn't make the Sweet 16 with more talent last year, I am very happy seeing how hard this team plays defensively comparatively, and how HH has gelled with de Jesus and Moore. We gave Duke a dogfight, and I expect one against Vandy.

We can't let them dominate rebounding, which is our achilles heal when we face an athletic team with an athletic big like Aiyana Mitchell.

Notre Dame made the Sweet 16 last year.

 

[Dillon77]

Notre Dame made the Sweet 16 last year.

Yup. Coach Ivey's team have made the Sweet 16 when they get into the NCAA Tourney, but haven't cracked the Elite 8 yet.
Here's hoping.... 😉

 

[dcheng021]

Wow congrats on a gritty win over vandy. That was an all time performance by Hannah Hidalgo today.

 

[Topdawg]

Congratulations to Notre Dame. They fought hard to pull out a win. Hidalgo was outstanding!

 

[oldude]

Congratulations to the Irish. They harassed Blakes and Vandy into 23 turnovers and 35% shooting, and HH was everywhere all game long.

 

[DefenseBB]

What a heck of a performance by Hidalgo. Congrats to our resident ND fan as such an unexpected surprise. Enjoy it until Sunday…

 

[triaddukefan]

I'll give Coach Ivey credit. If you would have asked me over the summer or pretty much anytime this year that ND would be playing for a Final 4 berth.... I would have bet the house against it.

How Hidalgo didn't make 1st team AP is beyond me.

 

[Dillon77]

I'll give Coach Ivey credit. If you would have asked me over the summer or pretty much anytime this year that ND would be playing for a Final 4 berth.... I would have bet the house against it.

How Hidalgo didn't make 1st team AP is beyond me.

A lot of people are asking the same thing about that exclusion

 

[Dillon77]

Well, there were a lot of very excited ND fans going kerfluueey in ND Nation's private game-time chat area, "Romper Room."
When we saw ESPN's graphic that ND had blown leads in 4 straight Sweet 16 games, it seemed like a curse.

But this team kept hustling and busting a gut on defense and 50-50's. And, of course, there's the Hannah Hidalgo Experience.
So, yes, back in the Elite 8...first time since 2019. (Very) Good chance we'll play the same team we did then 😉

But for now, will just enjoy it. 😎😆

 

[ABCDFE]

congrats to ND. HH is amazing. We will have our hands full without a doubt.

 

[Frankus]

Thoughts about Vandy:

I know there are a lot of great wbb players, but I don't think you can substitute Hannah for anybody in the country and get ND to the elite 8.

Before the game, if you'd have told me Moore and de Jesus would go 1-12 in 3 point shots, I'd have said we'd lose. Moore in particular had great looks and could not hit her shots.

Hannah is like a roving free safety who makes teams miserable with her disruptive defense, but Cass is a versatile defender and the entire team busts their ass defensively. It has been incredibly fun watching their effort, and watching their ball movement on the offensive end.

I expect UCONN to beat us due to superior players ( particularly their bigs who we cannot match with equal talent) , depth, and Geno, but I expect us to compete better than the game in Ct.

Like all fans who love their team, I will be holding out hope for a victory. Moore and de Jesus would have to have 3-point shooting accuracy games of their lifetimes for it to happen.

 

[Dillon77]

Some very gracious words from Geno and Kayleigh Heckel about Hannah Hidalgo. I've never heard Hannah compared to this player:

UConn coach Geno Auriemma -- who called Hidalgo's performance Friday as "one for the ages" -- compared her to former NFL and New York Giant defensive great Lawrence Taylor.

"She's just a unique player that comes along once in a lifetime, and she has the ability to disrupt and cause chaos like nobody I've ever seen," Auriemma said. "I think her team obviously feeds off of that."

Added sophomore guard Kayleigh Heckel: "She moves a lot, and it's kind of hard to stay with her. Super athletic, super fast. She does everything, she passes, she rebounds, she's a great defender, so it's kind of hard to play against the player like her."