SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The Irish are back on the winning track. On Thursday, No. 10 Notre Dame (6-2) triumphed over their second-straight top-five opponent, overcoming No. 4 Texas (7-1) in overtime, 80-70. Just a couple of weeks prior, the Irish secured a victory against No. 3 USC on their home court. “This team has turned over […]
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The Irish are back on the winning track.
On Thursday, No. 10 Notre Dame (6-2) triumphed over their second-straight top-five opponent, overcoming No. 4 Texas (7-1) in overtime, 80-70. Just a couple of weeks prior, the Irish secured a victory against No. 3 USC on their home court.
“This team has turned over a new leaf,” remarked Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey following the victory. “They came out and showcased their defensive prowess. The mental resilience and focus exhibited by this group throughout the week led to this outcome, which resulted from their dedication to returning to work. I am genuinely proud of this team.”
The match commenced as a competitive back-and-forth contest with four ties and a total of six three-pointers, three from each side. Hannah Hidalgo contributed 10 points and sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer to conclude Q1.
Notre Dame made several additional long-range shots in the second quarter, starting 4-6 from beyond the arc. Hidalgo orchestrated a “play-of-the-year” worthy moment with a little over 8 minutes remaining in the period, diving for a steal and tossing the ball backward over her head to a waiting Olivia Miles, who finished with an easy layup.
smiling and kicking our feet rn 😆😆@HannahHidalgo → @oliviamiles06
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/RoA3igq0oK— Notre Dame Women’s Basketball (@ndwbb) December 6, 2024
In contrast, the Longhorns struggled offensively, going scoreless for over 2 minutes on two occasions in the second quarter, including at the end of the half. Notre Dame led 39-34 after 20 minutes, with Hidalgo scoring 19 points to top all players, which ties her for her highest-scoring half of the season.
Notre Dame matched its largest lead of the game at the 5:21 mark of Q3, advancing to a 47-40 edge. The Irish experienced their own scoring droughts, including a 3:30 lapse in the third quarter. Heading into the final frame, Notre Dame held a 5-point lead.
The score was knotted at 55 with 8:21 remaining before both teams began exchanging baskets down the stretch. A layup from Miles with 2 seconds left put Notre Dame up 68-66 before an Irish foul led to two free throws for Rori Harmon from Texas. She converted both, leading to overtime. The fourth quarter featured five lead changes alone.
From that point onward, Notre Dame took charge, outscoring the visitors 12-2 in the final 5 minutes of play. Hidalgo and Citron each drained back-to-back three-pointers to seal the victory. The Irish finished the game on a 12-0 run.
Hidalgo achieved her first 30-point performance of the season, while Miles and Citron each contributed 18 points. Miles led the Irish in assists with 6, and Liatu King recorded 12 rebounds. This marks her sixth game this season with 10+ rebounds and her fourth double-double. Citron also tallied 7 steals, shattering her previous career-high of 4.
“I believe we showed determination,” Citron stated when reflecting on the team’s difference in this game versus the previous two. “Every single one of us put forth maximum effort for 40, 45 minutes. I trust you could witness just how hard we were hustling. We supported each other and played cohesively. Ultimately, we put up a fight, and we were resilient.”
“Soni, the ever-reliable, composed veteran that she is, stepped up and delivered significant plays, time and again,” Ivey noted regarding her senior wing. “We were undersized in the post, so I felt she performed exceptionally well by securing rebounds and making tips.”
Freshman Kate Koval contributed five blocks and continues to lead the conference with an average of 3.9 rejections per game.
Notre Dame will travel again this weekend to face Syracuse (4-5). The matchup is scheduled to tip-off at noon on the ACC Network.