Coming into this women’s college basketball season, it was obvious that Hannah Hidalgo was going to have to score more for Notre Dame. She was the only starter to return for the Irish this year after high-profile departures to the WNBA and the transfer portal.
However, on Wednesday night in South Bend, Hidalgo showed just how lethal of a scorer she could be.
The junior guard scored 44 points in Notre Dame’s 85-58 home win over Akron, resetting the Irish’s single-game scoring record. Previously, Jewell Loyd and Ruth Riley had it together with 41 points.
Perhaps most impressive, Hidalgo took the ball away from Akron 16 times, breaking the NCAA single-game record for a Division I player. Previously, several players had 14 steals, including Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Ticha Penicheiro of Old Dominion.
It was a historic performance for Hidalgo, who also had nine rebounds and four assists. He shot 16 of 25 from the field while leading Notre Dame to victory, and he did it all in just 28 minutes of play.
The two-time All-American, two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year and reigning ACC Player of the Year is quickly reestablishing herself as one of the sport’s brightest stars. Many are skeptical that Notre Dame can recreate the same type of success it had last season (with players like Olivia Miles, Sonia Citron and Maddy Westbeld starring alongside Hidalgo), but the New Jersey native appears to be thriving by proving the skeptics wrong.
“I grew up as an underdog. Surprising people is always good,” Hidalgo told SB Nation in October. “Honestly, we believe in ourselves and we believe in our coaching staff.”
Cassandre Prosper was the only other member of the Fighting Irish to score in double figures against Akron, scoring 14 points.
Ranked 18th in the latest AP Top 25 poll, Notre Dame will face its biggest test yet on Saturday when it faces No. 14 Michigan in Detroit. It will be another chance for Hidalgo to shine in the spotlight of a nationally televised game on NBC.