Sunday had all the ingredients to be a trap game for Notre Dame women’s basketball.
Coming off an overtime win over No. 5 Texas and with No. 2 UConn looming this Thursday, a road trip for a noon tipoff against a 4-5 Syracuse squad had a chance to be a dangerous contest for the Fighting Irish.
While they had a slow start, the No. 10-ranked Irish surged in the final three quarters, pulling away with a 93-62 win over the Orange in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams.
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“I talked a lot about making sure we were prepared and ready,” Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey said. “We didn’t get a chance to have that many days to prepare, but they knew the focus. I was very intentional (Saturday) with practice and film. They had Friday off to recover, and I think they did a great job.
“I think we’ve learned a lot this season. I know what this group needs, and I try to make sure practice and our preparation is preparing us for short turnarounds like today.”
Hannah Hidalgo makes history
It’s already been a career of firsts for Notre Dame sophomore Hannah Hidalgo, quickly becoming one of the best players in the country.
She added another accolade to her career Sunday, reaching 1,000 career points on a ‘3’ midway through the third quarter. Hildago reached the milestone in 44 games, the fastest to do so in program history.
“Honestly, it’s truly a blessing to be able to reach that goal, considering all the guards ― Arike Ogunbowale, Skyler (Diggins-Smith), Jewel (Lloyd) ― all these top guards that have come through this program,” Hidalgo said. “I’m truly blessed and honored to have this accolade.”
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Hidalgo finished the game with 24 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Third quarter proves to be the turning point
Nine turnovers by Notre Dame (7-2, 1-0 ACC) in the first quarter allowed Syracuse to stay within one point, 21-20, through the first 10 minutes. A slow offensive second quarter for both teams resulted in the Irish leading, 36-29, at the break.
That’s when Notre Dame turned on the afterburners. They wound up winning the third frame by a 29-13 margin, highlighted by a 23-7 run over the final 6:36 of the quarter.
The Irish shot 11-of-17 from the field in the third, with Hidalgo scoring nine points, senior Sonia Citron eight and freshman Kate Koval six to lead the charge. Graduate junior Olivia Miles had four of the team’s six assists in that stretch as well.
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“They came back ready in the second half,” said Ivey of her team. “They were focused. We started the second half focused on our defense, focused on our pace. We knew Syracuse might have shown a little bit of zone (defense), so I think we did a better job of shot selection.”
Citron led all players with 25 points, making 10 of her 15 shot attempts (4-of-6 from three-point range). She also had 11 rebounds. Graduate senior Liatu King had a team-high 12 rebounds, while Miles led the Irish with eight assists.
What’s next for Notre Dame women’s basketball
A huge non-conference rivalry game for Notre Dame awaits Thursday when No. 2 UConn (8-0) comes to town. The Irish won last year’s contest, 82-67, on the road. The Huskies lead the all-time series, 39-15, but Notre Dame is 4-3 in the last seven contests between the historic programs.
Ivey knows her team can’t start the way it did against Syracuse if it wants to pick up a third signature win this season against UConn.
“Just understanding that a bad shot or a turnover, what that leads to for UConn ― they kind of feed off weaknesses,” Ivey said. “They’re a high-tempo, high-paced type of team, so you just have to be really locked in. We had a couple of opponents that have really pressured us, so we’re prepared. We’re ready. We have two of the best guards and ball-handlers in the country, so we’ll be prepared.”
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Historic career for Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo continued Sunday
