Notre Dame Stuns Vanderbilt as Hannah Hidalgo Records Historic Triple-Double in March Madness – NCAA women’s basketball

Notre Dame advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Women’s Tournament after a dramatic 67-64 victory over Vanderbilt in the Sweet 16 matchup played in Fort Worth, Texas. The game was decided in the final moments as star guard Hannah Hidalgo delivered one of the most remarkable performances of the tournament.

Hidalgo produced a rare triple-double and played a decisive role in the closing seconds to guide the Fighting Irish to victory. Her performance helped Notre Dame overcome a late challenge from Vanderbilt and secure a place in the regional final.

Match Summary

Match	Notre Dame vs Vanderbilt
Tournament	NCAA Women’s Tournament – Sweet 16
Venue	Fort Worth, Texas
Final Score	Notre Dame 67 – Vanderbilt 64
Next Round	Notre Dame advances to Elite Eight

The sixth-seeded Fighting Irish improved their season record to 25-10 with the win, while the second-seeded Commodores ended their tournament run with a 29-5 record.

Hannah Hidalgo Leads Notre Dame with Historic Performance

Hannah Hidalgo delivered one of the most memorable performances of the tournament with a triple-double that included scoring, rebounding and steals. She finished the game with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 steals, while also contributing seven assists.

Player	Team	Points	Rebounds	Steals
Hannah Hidalgo	Notre Dame	31	11	10

Her defensive dominance also allowed her to break the NCAA single-season steals record during the game. Hidalgo reached the milestone early and continued to impact the game throughout both halves.

The defining moment came late in the fourth quarter. With the game tied in the final minute, Hidalgo made an athletic catch on an inbound pass between two defenders and quickly delivered a bounce pass to Cassandre Prosper under the basket. Prosper finished the play to give Notre Dame a two-point lead with just 22 seconds remaining.

Cassandre Prosper Provides Key Support

While Hidalgo led the team, Cassandre Prosper delivered an important performance as well, finishing with 15 points. Prosper’s basket in the final minute ultimately became the winning play.

Notre Dame Key Performers	Points
Hannah Hidalgo	31
Cassandre Prosper	15

Notre Dame’s defensive energy, led by Hidalgo’s steals, helped the team build momentum early in the game.

Also see: Alabama vs Michigan Basketball Prediction: Sweet 16 Showdown Highlights Offensive Firepower and Defensive Strength

Mikayla Blakes Leads Vanderbilt Effort

Vanderbilt was led by standout scorer Mikayla Blakes, who finished with 26 points despite struggling early in the game. She missed her first eight shots but rallied later to keep the Commodores in contention.

Vanderbilt Key Performers	Points
Mikayla Blakes	26
Aubrey Galvan	24

Blakes had a chance to tie the game late but lost control of the ball while driving toward the basket after Prosper’s go-ahead score. She also missed a final three-point attempt as time expired.

Vanderbilt finished the game shooting just 35 percent from the field, matching its lowest shooting performance of the season.

Key Turning Points in the Game

Moment	Impact
Hidalgo steals record	Set NCAA single-season steals mark
Prosper late basket	Put Notre Dame ahead with 22 seconds left
Vanderbilt turnover	Blakes lost the ball on potential tying drive
Final shot miss	Blakes missed last-second three-pointer

Notre Dame built an early lead thanks to Hidalgo’s defensive pressure. Three steals in quick succession during the second quarter helped the Fighting Irish move ahead 23-11.

Vanderbilt Rally Keeps Game Close

Despite the early deficit, Vanderbilt fought back in the second quarter. Freshman Aubrey Galvan sparked the comeback with strong shooting, scoring several key baskets including two three-pointers during a 12-2 run.

The Commodores eventually tied the game in the fourth quarter after a three-point play by Blakes followed by another three-pointer from Galvan.

However, Notre Dame’s late execution proved decisive.

What’s Next for Notre Dame

Team	Next Opponent
Notre Dame	UConn or North Carolina

With the victory, Notre Dame advances to the Elite Eight where the Fighting Irish will face the winner of the matchup between top-seeded UConn and North Carolina.

Hidalgo’s all-around performance and record-breaking defensive display have now become one of the standout stories of this year’s March Madness tournament.