NCAAW: Is Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo the best player in the nation?

When No. 6 Notre Dame took on No. 3 USC on Nov. 23, the Fighting Irish were underdogs on the road against the Trojans.

A who’s who of celebrities and basketball royalty was in attendance for this game, including Los Angeles Sparks star Cameron Brink, ESPN analyst Chiney Ogwumike, USC legend Cheryl Miller, and movie star Michael B. Jordan. They came to watch high-level basketball and were likely there to root for the home team. Instead of marveling at USC sophomore JuJu Watkins, they had first-class seats to the Hannah Hidalgo extravaganza.

The Notre Dame sophomore scored the first six points for her team, assisted her backcourt mate Olivia Miles on a 3-pointer, and then added her own triple to have the Irish ahead 14-6 midway through the first quarter. It was the beginning of a long afternoon inside the Galen Center for the Trojans as Hidalgo terrorized USC on their home court. Hidalgo did everything but distribute popcorn to fans. She scored 24 points, grabbed six rebounds, dished out eight assists, and stole the ball five times.

With the upset in the bag, Hidalgo was the one to dribble out the clock. When time expired and the buzzer sounded, she raised her arms as if to announce herself to the crowd, ensuring there wasn’t a person in the building who didn’t know who she was.

How Hidalgo is getting better

After the win, Hidalgo discussed bringing that level of intensity to every game and how it impacts winning during her postgame presser.

I think for my team, I’m that energy. I bring that energy and I know my team feeds off of that. I know they feed off of when I’m diving on the floor, I’m getting stops, when I’m running in transition. I know my team feeds off that; I know they need that, and then everyone else raises their level of intensity.

Hidalgo is averaging 24.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.2 steals per game. Building on her stellar freshman season, she has become a more efficient scorer, a better 3-point shooter, and a defensive menace on the wing.

These improvements are no surprise to her head coach, Niele Ivey, who talked about how she’s grown from her freshman year after a preseason victory versus Davenport earlier this season.

She’s never been a complacent player, so she’s always trying to find ways to get better. That’s the type of work ethic and drive that she has and passion. We kind of talked a little bit about her left-handed finishes and I think she’s worked on her left hand a lot this offseason and just being consistent from the three somethings that she’s worked on, but again she’s the type of player that wants to always get better and so she stayed in the gym and you can see the result of that.

What’s next for Hidalgo?

With her growth and ability to step up and perform in big moments, Hidalgo has strengthened her case as one of the best players in the country. Along with Miles, she undoubtedly is a part of the best background in the nation.

Led by the duo, the undefeated Fighting Irish are already reaping the early benefits of their success, having jumped up to No. 3 in the AP poll. Next month, they will have a matchup against No. 2 UConn that could bring them a step closer to the No. 1 spot.

Just a handful of games into Year 2, it’s amazing how good Hidalgo already is, and what should worry her opponents is not only that there is still room for growth, but that she’s also willing to put in the sweat equity to reach her full potential. So, while Watkins may have hogged the sophomore spotlight, it very well may be Hidalgo who shines brightest when tournament time arrives in March.