DULUTH, Ga. (theACC.com) – Powered by two-time ACC Player of the Year and three-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year Hannah Hidalgo, No. 5-seeded Notre Dame cruised past No. 12-seeded Miami, 69-54, in the second round of the 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday, March 5, at Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia.
With the victory, Notre Dame (21-9) advanced to the quarterfinals of the Ally ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament, where they will meet No. 4-seeded NC State on Friday, March 6, at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Hidalgo poured in 14 points to lead all scorers in the first half, connecting on 50 percent (6-of-12) of her field goal attempts, including a pair of triples. She added five rebounds and three steals to lead Notre Dame, which held a 37-23 lead at the break. Hidalgo and Cass Prosper, who was named the ACC Most Improved Player, combined for 18 of Notre Dame’s 23 first quarter points.
After trailing 16-12 with four minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Fighting Irish outscored the Hurricanes 23-7 to close the first half to take a 37-23 lead at the half. Notre Dame held Miami to just four points in the second quarter, holding the Hurricanes to 18.2 percent (2-of-11) shooting in the quarter with seven turnovers.
Late in the first half, Hidalgo recorded her third steal of the contest and 165th of her career. The steal broke the ACC’s single-season steals record, which had been held by Virginia’s Donna Holt since 1987.
Hidalgo finished with a game-high 28 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals. The junior from Merchantville, New Jersey, matched the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament second-round record with 12 made field goals.
The two teams came out of the halftime break on fire offensively, as both teams shot over 50 percent in the third quarter, with Miami 7-of-12 (58.3 percent) and Notre Dame at 50 percent (8-of-16). The half began with both teams trading points over the first five minutes of the third quarter before the Irish ran off six straight points to pull out in front by 18 at 51-33 with 3:46 in the period.
Miami answered with a 7-1 spurt of its own to cut the ND lead to 12 at 52-40, only to see the Irish close the quarter with six straight points from Hidalgo to put the score at 58-40 heading into the fourth quarter of play.
The Hurricanes opened the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run, holding the Fighting Irish scoreless for more than five minutes, and slashing the deficit to just eight. Notre Dame answered with a 6-0 outburst of its own and cruised into Friday’s semifinals.
Miami (17-14) finished with three players in double-figures, led by Gal Raviv with 15 points. She was joined by Ahnay Adams with 13 points, and Ra Shaya Kyle, who logged an 11-point, 15-rebound double-double for the Hurricanes.