FORT WORTH, Texas – The drama of March Madness was on full display Friday afternoon inside Dickies Arena, as No. 6 seed Notre Dame edged No. 2 seed Vanderbilt 67-64 in a Sweet 16 showdown that had fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer. With the victory, the Fighting Irish advanced to the Elite Eight for the 11th time in program history, setting up a high-stakes clash with powerhouse UConn on Sunday, March 29.
But this was no ordinary Sweet 16 contest. The matchup featured two of the nation’s most electrifying guards: Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes, both known for their scoring prowess and relentless play. The anticipation was palpable, and the game did not disappoint.
From the opening tip, it was clear Hidalgo was on a mission. She wasted no time making her presence felt, picking the pocket of Vanderbilt’s Aubrey Galvan for the game’s first bucket and setting the tone for what would become a historic afternoon. By the final horn, Hidalgo had etched her name into the NCAA record books, delivering a jaw-dropping triple-double with 31 points, 11 rebounds, 10 steals, seven assists, and a block. Her 10 steals propelled her to the top of the NCAA single-season steals leaderboard, breaking Chastadie Barrs’ 2019 record with a new mark of 199. She also set a new NCAA Tournament record for steals in a single tournament with 26.
“Hannah Hidalgo is playing on another level in March and that continued on Friday,” said Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey, who improved her own NCAA Tournament coaching record to 11-4. Hidalgo’s performance marked just the second 30-point triple-double in women’s NCAA Tournament history—joining Iowa’s Caitlin Clark—and was the first ever to include 10 steals since the stat began being tracked in 1988.
Notre Dame’s defensive intensity was evident from the outset, as they forced 10 Vanderbilt turnovers in the first quarter alone, holding the Commodores to just 2-of-12 shooting and jumping out to a 15-11 lead after one. The Irish extended their advantage to 25-13 midway through the second quarter, riding Hidalgo’s relentless defense and scoring. By halftime, Notre Dame led 31-26, having limited Vanderbilt to a frigid 23.1% from the field—the lowest first-half percentage allowed by the Irish in an NCAA Tournament game since 2017.
Vanderbilt, however, refused to go quietly. The Commodores, led by SEC Player of the Year Mikayla Blakes and standout freshman Aubrey Galvan, began to find their rhythm in the third quarter. Galvan, who finished with 13 points, and Blakes, who poured in 26 on 7-of-26 shooting, fueled a rally that saw Vanderbilt claw back from a double-digit deficit. The Commodores knocked down three triples in the third, but Notre Dame managed to maintain a six-point cushion, leading 50-44 heading into the final frame.
The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth battle, with neither team willing to give an inch. Hidalgo opened with a layup, but Blakes answered, and soon the Commodores had pulled within two. Galvan’s clutch three-pointer knotted the score, and moments later, Vanderbilt took its first lead since the opening minutes after a Blakes free throw made it 60-59 with just over two minutes to play. The tension was palpable as the lead changed hands several times in the closing moments.
With the game tied at 64 and under a minute remaining, Notre Dame called timeout to set up a critical possession. On the ensuing play, Hidalgo leapt between two defenders to snag the inbound pass and delivered a brilliant wraparound assist to Cassandre Prosper, who finished the layup to put the Irish ahead 66-64 with 23 seconds left. “Hidalgo jumped up and grabbed the pass between two defenders and then wrapped a pass around an oncoming defender to Prosper, who converted the layup,” described the Notre Dame athletics release.
Vanderbilt had one last opportunity, but a turnover and a missed three-pointer sealed their fate. Prosper, who contributed 15 points and five rebounds, added a free throw in the final seconds to extend the lead to three. Two desperate attempts from beyond the arc by the Commodores in the dying moments were off the mark, sending Notre Dame’s bench into jubilation as they punched their ticket to the Elite Eight.
For Vanderbilt, the loss marked the end of a remarkable season. The Commodores were seeking their first Elite Eight appearance since 2002 and had shown tremendous resilience all year, finishing with a 29-5 record. Head coach Shea Ralph’s squad, which started the game with 16 first-half turnovers, battled valiantly but ultimately fell just short of a historic upset. “With the loss in the Sweet 16, Vanderbilt’s NCAA Tournament run will come to a close in what has been one of the best seasons in the program’s recent history,” noted the Vanderbilt game report.
Notre Dame, meanwhile, continued its tradition of postseason excellence. The program now boasts a 78-28 all-time record in NCAA Tournament play, including 11 Elite Eight appearances. This season marks the 20th time the Irish have reached at least 25 wins. Their recent run—winning 10 of their last 11 games—has been fueled by Hidalgo’s brilliance. She has now scored 20 or more points in 10 straight games and has reached double figures in all 102 games of her career, the longest active streak in the country.
The victory also had implications beyond the court. Notre Dame’s win eliminated the last remaining perfect women’s bracket in ESPN’s March Madness pool, held by Otto Schellhammer of Pittsburgh. The bracket had survived 48 games, a testament to the unpredictable nature of this year’s tournament. March Madness started with 5.2 million women’s brackets, but Hidalgo’s heroics ensured that none would remain unblemished beyond the Sweet 16.
Looking ahead, Notre Dame faces its toughest test yet: a showdown with No. 1 seed UConn for a spot in the Final Four. The game is set for Sunday, March 29, at 1 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ABC. With Hidalgo rewriting the record books and the Irish playing their best basketball at the perfect time, fans can expect another thrilling chapter in this storied program’s postseason journey.
As the confetti settled in Fort Worth, it was clear that Notre Dame’s mix of poise, grit, and star power had carried them through another classic March battle. The Elite Eight awaits, and the Irish are ready for the challenge.