On paper, No. 2 UConn versus No. 8 Notre Dame was as hyped as a regular season college game can be, and it did not disappoint. In the end, the Fighting Irish were just a bit better than the Huskies, beating them 79-68 at home.
For Notre Dame, it was all about Hannah Hidalgo. The sophomore sensation scored 29 points, had 10 rebounds and eight assists—only two dimes shy of a triple double. She shot 8-for-17 from the field, hitting six 3-pointers. Hidalgo will get some well-deserved flowers, but she didn’t do it alone. Liatu King was big in the post with a double-double, scoring 16 points and grabbing a team-high 12 rebounds, and Olivia Miles had 16 in the win.
UConn won’t be pleased with the result, but they played well. Paige Bueckers kept them in the game, scoring 25 points on 11-for-20 shooting, and freshman Sarah Strong stepped up with 14 points.
How Hidalgo and the Irish proved unstoppable
From the opening quarter, Notre Dame established this was their house, and they were in control. Miles started the scoring with a 3-pointer, and the Fighting Irish never trailed in the opening frame. Hidalgo was hot from the jump as well, hitting back-to-back 3s as part of a 9-0 run by Notre Dame to close out the quarter and lead 18-12 after ten minutes of play.
In the second…
