Hannah Hidalgo Leads No. 14 Notre Dame to ACC Tournament Victory

Hannah Hidalgo Interview After Winning ACC Tournament Title | Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs NC State

Hannah Hidalgo Interview After Winning ACC Tournament Title | Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs NC State | Image: Women Hooping/YouTube

Hannah Hidalgo achieved 22 points to lead No. 14 Notre Dame to a 55-51 win against No. 10 North Carolina State in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament final on Sunday in Greensboro, N.C.

Hidalgo also contributed with six assists, six rebounds, and two steals as the third-ranked Fighting Irish (26-6) secured their first ACC tournament crown since 2019 and sixth since becoming part of the league in 2013. This triumph also marked a historic moment for Fighting Irish coach Niele Ivey, making her the initial Black woman to clinch the ACC tournament.

Maddy Westbeld gathered 16 points and seven rebounds, while Sonia Citron chipped in with 11 points and eight rebounds for the Irish.

River Baldwin led the charge for the second-seeded Wolfpack (27-6) with 14 points, whereas Aziaha James tallied 12 points, six rebounds, and a team-best five assists.

The first half concluded with Notre Dame on an 11-8 run, establishing a 28-22 lead at halftime. To cap off this scoring surge, Hidalgo successfully made a 3-pointer just as the shot clock expired. Subsequently, the ACC Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year confidently faced off against a few Wolfpack fans seated courtside, energetically pumping her fist in celebration.

Despite falling behind by seven points in the third quarter, NC State initiated a 15-5 run to snatch a three-point advantage. Baldwin was instrumental, contributing eight points, a block, and two rebounds for the Wolfpack during this pivotal five-minute stretch.

Notre Dame regained the lead with only 1:28 left in the game on a driving layup by Hidalgo amidst heavy traffic. She then confidently converted one-of-two free throws with 10.5 seconds remaining, extending Notre Dame’s lead to a two-possession advantage.

With the absence of 6-foot-4 Kylee Watson, who was sidelined due to injury, Notre Dame experienced a shortage in post presence. Watson, who is a key figure in rebounding and shot-blocking for the team, was seen on the sidelines with crutches after sustaining an injury in the Irish’s previous semifinal victory over Virginia Tech.

Despite the absence of Watson, NC State outscored Notre Dame 24-18 in the paint and secured a 40-33 advantage in rebounding.

Nonetheless, Notre Dame’s superiority along the perimeter outshone NC State. The Irish converted 8-of-17 attempts from beyond the arc, whereas the Wolfpack managed just 3-of-17.

  1. College Sports News

    WCC to Add Grand Canyon and Seattle in 2025

    WCC adding Seattle U and Grand Canyon University

    WCC adding Seattle U and Grand Canyon University

    Seattle and Grand Canyon will be leaving the Western Athletic Conference and moving to the West Coast Conference starting July 2025.

    The nine current members of the conference are private universities with a religious affiliation. Seattle is a Jesuit institution, while Grand Canyon, situated in Phoenix, is a Christian college.

    Grand Canyon’s basketball achievements were a significant factor in attracting WCC commissioner Stu Jackson. The team has participated in the last two NCAA Tournaments and three of the previous four under the leadership of coach Bryce Drew.

    As the 12th-seeded Antelopes defeated fifth-seeded Saint Mary’s before losing to Alabama in the tournament this season.

    Saint Mary’s is currently a member of the West Coast Conference.

    The WCC, while also integrating Oregon State and Washington State this autumn (excluding football), will expand from 11 to 13 members by the 2025-26 season.

    The future beyond 2026 looks uncertain, with Oregon State and Washington State appearing unlikely to continue with the WCC.

    The former Pac-12 schools are under a two-year contract, expiring on June 30, 2026. Sources from CBS Sports suggest that the odds of the two Pacific Northwest institutions staying are slim, with a move to the Mountain West or a new conference formation being more probable.

    Following the departures of Sam Houston and New Mexico State last year, Seattle and Grand Canyon’s exit from the WAC will reduce the conference’s membership to just eight by July 2025.

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  2. College Sports News

    Ex-Cal State Fullerton G Max Jones Commits to Kansas State

    Kansas State adds athletic wing in left-handed shooter Max Jones

    Kansas State adds athletic wing in left-handed shooter Max Jones

    Former guard of Cal State Fullerton Max Jones has made a decision to join Kansas State for his upcoming collegiate season, according to reports.

    Notable alternatives that Jones purportedly pondered were New Mexico, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Florida Atlantic, and Loyola Chicago.

    During the previous season with the Titans, Jones maintained an average of 15.3 points and 3.0 rebounds across 24 games, in which he started 21. He secured the second-highest scoring position within the team, alongside being the second in 3-pointers with 42 baskets and 41 steals.

    In the season prior, Jones held an average of 12.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in 32 games, amassing 34 three-pointers and 30 steals.

    Before making his way to Cal State Fullerton post the 2021-22 season, Jones spent two years at Division II Tampa, where he managed to achieve an average of 21.9 points across 21 games during his sophomore year with the Spartans.

    In the recent offseason, Kansas State acquired Dug McDaniel, a former player from Michigan recognized as one of the premier point guards available in this year’s transfer portal.

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  3. College Sports News

    Stanford Names Basketball Court in Honor of Tara VanDerveer

    View From The Top with Tara VanDerveer, Former Coach of Stanford Women’s Basketball

    View From The Top with Tara VanDerveer, Former Coach of Stanford Women’s Basketball

    Tara VanDerveer’s legacy at Stanford will now be visibly acknowledged, with the school revealing on Thursday that the basketball arena’s floor will bear the name of the esteemed Hall of Fame coach.

    At the age of 70, VanDerveer stepped down following her 38th season at the helm of the Cardinal.

    She steered Stanford to 14 Final Fours and secured three national championships (1990, 1992, 2021). VanDerveer embarked on her coaching journey at Idaho (1978-80) and later coached at Ohio State (1980-85).

    In January, she surpassed Mike Krzyzewski to clinch the title of the most successful college basketball coach in history, across both men’s and women’s teams. VanDerveer concluded with a remarkable 1,216-271 record, boasting a 1,064-220 tally with the Cardinal.

    Alongside the unveiling of the Tara VanDerveer Court at Maples Pavilion this November, Stanford also established an endowed position in women’s basketball for an assistant coach in VanDerveer’s honor.

    VanDerveer said in a statement, “This endowment will go a long way to strengthening the future of Stanford women’s basketball. I have many wonderful memories of leading the women’s basketball program at Maples Pavilion.”

    “It’s an honor, and a little surreal, to know that my name will be linked to both in these ways, and I look forward to celebrating with all our fans this fall.”

    Last month, Stanford appointed Kate Paye, one of VanDerveer’s longtime assistant coaches who played for the Cardinal from 1991-95 and began coaching under VanDerveer in 2007, as the new head coach.

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