Notre Dame 2025-2026 Regular-Season Thread. | Page 7 | The Boneyard

Notre Dame 2025-2026 Regular-Season Thread.

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.
 
Dillon77 said:
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.
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I told you the Irish were not going to be welcome at whichever of the top 16 seeds were unfortunate enough to draw them. 😎
 
oldude said:
I told you the Irish were not going to be welcome at whichever of the top 16 seeds were unfortunate enough to draw them. 😎
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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.
 
Dillon77 said:
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.
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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.
 
Dillon77 said:
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.
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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.
 
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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!!
 
JellyBean said:
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!!
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Now that's an interesting comparison. Love it.
 
JellyBean said:
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!!
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To me, Hannah gives "Skylar Diggins and Alana Beard had a right-handed baby".
 
Frankus said:
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.
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Notre Dame made the Sweet 16 last year.
 
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Congratulations to the Irish. They harassed Blakes and Vandy into 23 turnovers and 35% shooting, and HH was everywhere all game long.
 
What a heck of a performance by Hidalgo. Congrats to our resident ND fan as such an unexpected surprise. Enjoy it until Sunday…
 
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triaddukefan said:
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.
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A lot of people are asking the same thing about that exclusion
 
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. 😎😆
 
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.
 
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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."
 
Dillon77 said:
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."
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Interesting, I would have thought Ed Reed or Troy Polumalu because of her ball hawking/stealing abilities.
 
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cancontent said:
Interesting, I would have thought Ed Reed or Troy Polumalu because of her ball hawking/stealing abilities.
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The analogy that Geno used to compare HH with LT was more about how a single player could control the entire game. In the case of LT, an opponent’s entire offensive game plan was determined by how they attempted to block a player that the Giants would move around, rush the QB, drop in coverage and generally create havoc for opposing teams. Try to block him with a running back and he would run right through the blocker. Try to trap him and he would close down like a hammer and blow up the play. Try to run away from him and he’d chase down the play from behind….and god help the QB when he came off the edge.

HH creates a similar dilemma for ND’s opponents. You have to put together your game plan by attempting to control her at both ends of the court. When you have the ball you have to be aware of her at all times, because she freelances like a free safety in football. On offense, you try to force the ball out of her hands, because she’s relentless attacking the basket. If you back off her she can burn you with her outside shooting.

So I get the analogy. With that said, UConn never lets one player beat them. The Huskies will have multiple options for dealing with HH.
 
oldude said:
The analogy that Geno used to compare HH with LT was more about how a single player could control the entire game. In the case of LT, an opponent’s entire offensive game plan was determined by how they attempted to block a player that the Giants would move around, rush the QB, drop in coverage and generally create havoc for opposing teams. Try to block him with a running back and he would run right through the blocker. Try to trap him and he would close down like a hammer and blow up the play. Try to run away from him and he’d chase down the play from behind….and god help the QB when he came off the edge.

HH creates a similar dilemma for ND’s opponents. You have to put together your game plan by attempting to control her at both ends of the court. When you have the ball you have to be aware of her at all times, because she freelances like a free safety in football. On offense, you try to force the ball out of her hands, because she’s relentless attacking the basket. If you back off her she can burn you with her outside shooting.

So I get the analogy. With that said, UConn never lets one player beat them. The Huskies will have multiple options for dealing with HH.
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I was at peak-paying attention to the Giants during LT's prime and I think you're onto the analogy....although I do get how @cancontent (and you, with the reference to a free safety) can think HH freelances like a free safety. What I think helped LT and/or all of those safeties is how Parcells/Belichick, the defensive coordinator at the time) also allowed LT to line up here, there and everywhere. Harry Carson, Gary Reasons and Carl Banks covered for LT and allowed him to display his singular skills.

In the same way, Coach Ivey is letting HH go rogue. ND was playing man to man against Vandy, with Cass Prosper largely staying on Blakes. But Hidalgo was hunting ballhandlers. Whomever is devising that scout for ND is adapting how the other four react very well.
And kudos to them for a read and react approach. Vanessa de Jesus has been a great running mate for HH and KK Bransford is like a Harry Carson in seeing the whole court/field.

UConn has a whole lot of weapons and most of those weapons are superior athletes and/or technicians. At this point, Blanca Quinonez scares the bejesus out of me...I can't think of one person who can stay with her on ND. Still, this ND team can come up with something out of....Hidalgo. If she can garner attention, she could drive and dish to shooter who have to hit the open J's. VdJ and Iyana Moore could be key to keeping close.
 
Well, the great late-season/tournament run by Notre Dame ends in a 70-52 loss to UConn.
While this was not totally unexpected, we Irish fans were still into the game wholeheartedly, particularly when it was hovering around 10.

However, Geno has amassed top-flight talent from around the world. He employed it and it paid dividends. Sarah Strong is, indeed, awesome, but it sure seems like her co-partner just showed up in Blanca Quinonez. Wow...what an athlete and her three-pt form is spectacular. And now he brings Jana El Alfy off the bench to lead a charge on the offensive boards. Simply too much.
Great team...all power to them.

Hannah had to be in overdrive and she was, finishing with another double double. In the process, she became the first NCAA male or female player to garner more than 900 steals. Wow. The trouble was there was no other Irish player capable of attacking UConn's defense with HH. The second highest scorer was Vanessa de who had a mere 8 points and 5 boards. Iyana Moore was dormant until the fourth, which was too little, too late. A tip of the hat to Strong, who did a good job of keeping Cass Prosper on a leash, not allowing her to get free to build up steam for her attacks to the hoop, which is her best mode.

I thought this was a "bridge" team to next year because there simply wasn't quite enough talent to challenge the top teams. We saw that today. But, hey, they idid do better than expected and the coaches maximized their play to a level I never expected.
Or perhaps these players finally got a chance. In particular, I think Vanessa de Jesus was a great complement to Hannah Hidalgo all season; being able to bring the ball up, play solid defense, keep calm and shoot some threes. I think Hannah will need another "VdJ" next year and that's a huge pat on the pack to Vanessa. Well done.

Well....time to move onto Leah Macy playing power forward, Jenica Lewis being a shooting guard and a slew of 6'2" wings in Jacy Abii, Bella Ragone and Amari Byles. Volleyball/Hoops player Isabella Sangha will be aboard, too. Now we';; see if Cass Prosper or KK Bransford will come back and add some transfers (a center?). And, of course, Ms. Hidalgo.

Thanks Irish!!
 
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Dillon77 said:
Well, the great late-season/tournament run by Notre Dame ends in a 70-52 loss to UConn.
While this was not totally unexpected, we irish fans were still into it, particularly when it was hovering around 10.

However, Geno has amassed top-flight talent from around the world. He employed it and it paid dividends. Sarah Strong is, indeed, awesome, but it sure seems like her co-partner just showed up in Blanca Quinonez. Wow...what an athlete and her three-pt form is spectacular. And now he brings Jana El Alfy off the bench to lead a charge on the offensive boards. Simply too much.
Great team...all power to them.

Hannah had to be in overdrive and she was, finishing with another double double. In the process, she became the first NCAA male or female player to garner more than 900 steals. Wow. The trouble was there was no one capable to attacking UConn's defense with her. The second highest scorer was Vanessa de who had 8 points and 5 boards.

I thought this was a "bridge" team to next year because there simply wasn't quite enough top talent to challenge the top teams. We saw that today. But, hey, did they do better than expected and the coaches maximized their play to a level I never expected.
Or perhaps these players finally got a chance. In particular, I think Vanessa de Jesus was a great complement to Hannah Hidalgo all season; being able to bring the ball up, play solid defense, keep calm and shoot some threes. I think Hannha will need another "VdJ" next year and that's a huge pat on the pack to Vanessa. Well done.

Well....time to move onto Leah Macy playing power forward, Jenica Lewis being a shooting guard and a slew of 6'2" wings in Jacy Abii, Bella Ragone and Amari Byles. Volleyball/Hoops player Isabella Sangha will be aboard, too. Now we see if Cass Prosper or KK Bransford will come back and some transfers (a center?). And, of course, Ms. Hidalgo.

Thanks Irish!!
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Great battle by the Irish. Glad that we don’t have to face HH again until next season.
 
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