Dreams can evaporate in an instant, and for Notre Dame women’s basketball, that nightmare is unfolding right before their eyes. With their second straight loss, their dominant season is on the verge of toppling. A No. 1 seed seemed like a lock just days ago, but after another crushing defeat, that security is slipping away fast. Worse still, a big question is staring them down: Where will they land in the NCAA tournament? Their final game on Sunday is now their only hope, but according to Elle Duncan, it could be a lost cause if they don’t address Hannah Hidalgo’s glaring issue.

For the first time since 2021, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are backing into multiple ACC losses. A position the program isn’t used to being in. Just a few days ago, the No. 3-ranked Irish looked untouchable, boasting a 19-game win streak while rolling toward an ACC crown. But two losses in three games have shattered that aura of invincibility. A double-overtime thriller against North Carolina State was one thing—but falling at home to Florida State, blowing a 15-point lead in the process, is an entirely different level of concern.

That collapse exposed cracks that had been hiding beneath the surface. Allowing 85 points in back-to-back games? That had never happened in the Niele Ivey era. Surrendering their biggest blown lead at home since Ivey took over? That’s just as concerning. Despite starting strong with a 23-17 lead after the first quarter against one of the best scoring teams in the county, the Fighting Irish couldn’t prevent the Seminoles’ 86-81 victory.

Now, everyone knows how the teams’ fortunes rise and fall with Hannah Hidalgo, a top contender for national player of the year. Over the past five games, Hidalgo’s struggles have been a major factor in the Irish’s rollercoaster ride – from reaching number one in the country to potentially losing the top seed in the ACC Tournament. It seems like she is in the middle of a shooting slump, and if this issue is not resolved, it could potentially cut Notre Dame’s season short of the expected Final Four appearance. 

And so, ESPN’s Elle Duncan could not help but put it bluntly: “They’re the only one of the top 10 teams that have lost consecutive games this season, and they’ve done it twice, right?.. They’ve now allowed 85 points in back-to-back games; that’s for the first time since Neil Ivy took over. Yeah, you know they blew a 15-point lead. Which is their biggest blown lead at home since Neil Ivy took over. In Hannah Hidalgo’s last five games, she’s scoring 18 points per game on 30% shooting.”  

Hannah Hidalgo’s shooting has been off for a while now, and it’s getting harder to ignore. Since her dismal 3-for-17 performance against Pittsburgh on Feb. 13, her field-goal percentage has plummeted to .295 over the past five games. This slump has dragged her season average down from .504 to .465. Hidalgo’s career field-goal percentage of .454 now seems like a distant benchmark.

Moreover, her turnovers have become problematic: “Hannah has been doing so incredibly well this year, especially with the return of Olivia Miles, who’s ball dominant. Obviously, she’s the one that’s dishing. She had cut down on the turnovers, but that hasn’t been the case in the last five games – 14 assists to 13 turnovers. So, like, these are things that have got to be cleaned up.” Duncan said.

Well, thanks to Elle Duncan’s insight, Hannah Hidalgo and her teammates may have finally identified the elephant in the room that’s been on everyone’s mind.

Top Comment by arzon65

It was FSU’s twin towers rebounding and swift guards shooting that doomed ND.

Share your take

Debate

The road ahead for Hannah Hidalgo and the Fighting Irish

Looking ahead, all hope isn’t lost for Notre Dame. Even with the recent slump, this Irish team isn’t a lost cause. Now it’s just about cleaning up the problems that have popped up, more specifically, the defensive issues and Hidalgo’s shooting struggles. If they fix those problems, the Irish could make a deep NCAA Tournament run.

Whether these struggles are just temporary setbacks or signs of a larger problem remains to be seen—but the Irish aren’t out of the fight yet. Coach Niele Ivey is bent on addressing everything as promptly as possible. While the loss to Florida was wrapped up around 9:55 p.m., Ivey did not appear for her post-game meeting until 11:14. It seems like she wanted to bandage the wounds while they were fresh and not let them fester.

With the ACC Tournament approaching, seeding remains up for grabs as Notre Dame and NC State enter Sunday’s regular-season finale tied atop the conference at 15-2. The Irish are guaranteed a top-two finish, but securing the No. 1 seed will require a win over Louisville and a doubtful loss by NC State to last-place SMU.

So do not give up on Notre Dame yet. Momentum can shift quickly in college basketball, and Notre Dame still has time to prove it belongs among the nation’s elite. The path may be tougher than expected, but the opportunity is still there—the Fighting Irish just have to seize it.