The Notre Dame and USC showdown was one of the most anticipated matchups. Both teams are widely considered championship contenders, and the buzz around USC’s JuJu Watkins and Olivia Miles’s upcoming WNBA draft made the game even more electric. But while the Trojans brought the hype, the Irish brought the fire. They handed USC their first loss of the season and left no doubt about their championship aspirations. For Watkins, this loss hit hard, but she knows exactly where she fell short.

Admitting her struggles, the Trojans sophomore called it a “learning experience,” and opened up about the challenges she faced after the 74-61 loss. “I think for me, the biggest thing is just staying poised and under control throughout the game,” she said. “It wasn’t the prettiest for me, so just continuing to, you know, lock-in.” 

Early on, the 19-year-old guard struggled to find her rhythm, missing crucial shots that could’ve set a different tone for the game. While she scored 24 points, 19 of those came in the second half when the game was already slipping away. Meanwhile, the Irish came out swinging, building an early 20-10 lead in the first quarter itself. 

They dominated with relentless defense and a high-paced offense that USC couldn’t match. Their sophomore star, Hidalgo, was unstoppable, leading the charge with 24 points, five steals, and eight assists. She was powered by the senior Olivia Miles, who chipped in 20 points, including a career-high four three-pointers.

Not to forget, she also added eight rebounds and seven assists for good measure with 80% shooting 4-of-5 from deep for 80%. Coming out of injury, she proved why she is one of the projected top picks for the draft. 

Meanwhile, USC was visibly out of sync, missing their starting guard, Kennedy Smith. Her absence was particularly felt on the defensive end, where Hidalgo had free rein to shine. USC’s turnovers—21 in total—proved costly. Watkins might’ve been the headliner going into this game, but Notre Dame’s complete team effort stole the show.

Even JuJu confessed in the postgame conference that their team needs to work on the “chemistry.” But beyond the team rivalry, much of the anticipation centered on the individual battle between teams’ guards JuJu Watkins and Hannah Hidalgo. 

JuJu Watkins vs. Hannah Hidalgo: The next big rivalry?

Watkins is often the focal point of media attention, hailed as the next big thing, and frequently compared to Caitlin Clark. After all, she is the first one to bring this hype to Trojans after 30 years since Lisa Leslie. 

But that night, Hidalgo (and Olivia Miles) stole the spotlight. Her energy and quickness were on full display. Along with scoring, she was disrupting USC’s flow. Sure, Watkins had her moments, and she rocked it, especially in the second half, but it will be safe to say that her individual efforts were not enough for the team’s win. 

And not to mention, it’s not like the Irish Fighter just arrived on the scene. She has a total of 10 big accolades in her name as a freshman, including an All-American and Dawn Staley Award.

While this was just one game, it highlighted why both Watkins and Hidalgo are seen as top-tier prospects for the 2027 WNBA Draft and this looked like a preview of the future of W. Now, as both set sights on a national title, let us see who makes it happen.