Honestly, if you’re still thinking about Notre Dame women’s basketball through the lens of the Muffet McGraw era, you’re missing the actual story. That's no disrespect to a legend, but the vibe in South Bend has shifted. It’s faster. It’s louder. It’s basically a track meet with a hoop at the end.
Niele Ivey isn't just "continuing a legacy." She’s completely rebuilt the engine while the car was still going 90 miles per hour on the toll road. People see the gold helmets and the prestige and think it’s the same old Irish, but this 2025-2026 squad is something else entirely. They are currently sitting at 12-5, ranked No. 23 in the nation, and preparing for a massive showdown against No. 1 UConn tomorrow at Gampel Pavilion.
The Hannah Hidalgo Factor is Real
You’ve heard the hype, but the stats are actually stupider than the headlines. Hannah Hidalgo isn't just a good guard; she’s a glitch in the system.
Back in November, she dropped 44 points on Akron. That’s a program record. But the weird part? She also had 16 steals. In one game. That’s an NCAA record for any basketball player, men's or women's, ever. You basically can’t dribble near her. It’s like she knows where the ball is going before the person holding it does.
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Right now, she’s pacing the ACC in scoring at 25.0 points per game and leads the entire country in steals. She has scored in double figures in every single one of the 84 games she has played in her career. Think about that consistency for a second. Most players have an "off" night where the shot won't fall. For Hidalgo, an off night is still 15 points and five steals. She’s currently six steals away from breaking Skylar Diggins’ program record of 381.
It Isn't Just a One-Woman Show
The biggest misconception about this year's Notre Dame women’s basketball team is that if you stop Hidalgo, you stop the Irish. That’s just not true anymore.
Cassandre Prosper has been a beast lately. She’s been on a tear with double-doubles in six of her last nine games. She’s averaging 19 and 10 over the last month. Then you have Iyana Moore, who has turned into an absolute flamethrower from deep. Moore is shooting 57.1 percent from beyond the arc in conference play. That’s not a typo. Over half the time she throws it up from three, it’s going in.
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- The Scoring Offense: Ranked 16th nationally (83.6 PPG)
- The Defense: They lead the ACC in steals (14.8 per game)
- The Efficiency: 13th in the country in field goal percentage
They play a style that forces you into mistakes. They want the game to be chaotic because they’re better at chaos than you are.
The Reality of the 12-5 Record
People look at five losses and think the Irish are "down." You've gotta look at the context. They just lost a tough one to No. 9 Louisville (66-79) at home, which was their first loss at Purcell Pavilion all season. They also had a weird overtime slip-up against Georgia Tech on the road and a tough game at Duke.
But look at who they’ve beaten. They took down a top-10 USC team earlier this year. They hammered No. 22 North Carolina. This is a team that plays one of the most brutal schedules in the country because Niele Ivey knows that March doesn't care about your November cupcakes.
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The injury bug has been a persistent ghost in the rafters at Notre Dame, too. Between Olivia Miles' long road back and various other bangs and bruises, this roster has had to be incredibly resilient. They don’t have the massive 6-foot-7 centers some other programs have, so they win with speed and mid-range precision.
Why Tomorrow Matters
The UConn game on January 19th is the litmus test. Notre Dame has actually won the last three meetings against the Huskies by double digits. Doing that to Geno Auriemma is almost unheard of. If they go into Storrs and keep it close—or heaven forbid, win—the "No. 23" next to their name is going to look very silly very fast.
Actionable Insights for the Rest of the Season
If you’re following this team or looking to bet on their trajectory, keep these three things in mind:
- Watch the Turnover Margin: Notre Dame is 16th in the country in turnover margin (+8.1). When they aren't turning people over, they struggle. If a team has elite ball handlers, the Irish have to work twice as hard.
- The Free Throw Edge: They are 8th in the nation in free throw percentage (78.8%). In close ACC games, this is why they win. They don’t leave points on the table.
- The Freshmen Development: Keep an eye on Leah Macy. As the freshman forward gets more comfortable in the system, she provides the rebounding depth they desperately need to support Prosper.
The Irish are currently a work in progress, but the ceiling is a Final Four run. It all depends on whether the defense can stay disciplined enough to not foul when they're hunting for those steals.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the broadcast on FOX for the UConn game at 5:00 PM ET on Monday.
- Monitor Hannah Hidalgo’s steal count; she is likely to break the school record within the next two games.
- Watch the ACC standings closely, as the Irish are currently 4-2 in the conference and have a chance to climb back into the top two spots with a strong February run.