Notre Dame’s Ivey, Hidalgo hold heads high after ACC tournament semifinal loss to No. 13 Duke
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Monthly Digital Subscription
$1 per week for 24 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
Monthly Digital Subscription
$4.99/week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
DULUTH, Ga. (AP) — Notre Dame’s 2026 trip to the Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball tournament ended the same way it did in 2025 — with a loss to Duke.
But this time around, coach Niele Ivey holds her head high as she heads back to South Bend with a promising outlook on what she views as a special group.
“This group has grown. We’ve matured. We’ve learned how to play with each other and play for each other, and it has been honestly phenomenal,” Ivey said after Notre Dame’s 65-63 semifinal loss on Saturday. “I talked to everybody about how much joy I have in coaching this group, so I told them, don’t hang your heads on this. It does not define us. It’s only going to make us better and stronger.”
It was a tough one for Notre Dame (22-10, 12-6 ACC), which overcame a first-half deficit and took a third-quarter lead before a tightly contested fourth quarter ended with three potential game-winners falling short. And so 364 days after being sent packing by Duke (23-8, 16-2) just before the ACC title game, Notre Dame suffered the same fate.
“It’s unfortunate, same result, but this group is a different group,” Ivey said. “Everybody that steps on that floor gives me their all on the offensive end and the defensive end. That’s the difference. They play for each other. They love each other. That’s the reason why you’re seeing this type of team.”
Hannah Hidalgo, a 5-foot-6 junior guard from New Jersey, plays a big role in leading that charge. For the second straight year, Hidalgo was named both ACC Player of the Year and ACC Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player in conference history to do so.
The two-way talent led the NCAA in steals per game this season (5.5) and topped the ACC in points per game (25.3).
In Saturday’s loss, Hidalgo led the Irish with 24 points, eight rebounds and four steals. She averaged 25.6 points, seven rebounds, four assists and 3.6 steals per game throughout her three ACC tournament performances in Gas South Arena.
Hidalgo and Ivey alike are confident there’s more to come from the Irish this March. Their next contest will be decided on March 15, when the 68-team bracket is announced during the selection Sunday show.
Added Ivey: “We’ll come back, we’ll get back to work, get back to doing the same things that we’ve been doing to put us in this position.”
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball