Where Notre Dame point guard Hannah Hidalgo ranks among ESPN’s best players in NCAA Tournament
ESPN ranked the 25 best players in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament field. Notre Dame freshman point guard Hannah Hidalgo came in at No. 5 in the poll conducted by ESPN panelists Charlie Creme, Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel.
Hidalgo, the nation’s third-leading scorer at 23.3 points per game and nationwide leader in steals with 147, came in behind, in this order, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, USC’s JuJu Watkins, Stanford’s Cameron Brink and UConn’s Paige Bueckers.
“In many seasons, Hidalgo would be national freshman of the year,” Voepel wrote. “This year, that will likely go to USC’s Watkins, but Hidalgo has had a brilliant first season. She ranks third in Division I in scoring average, first in steals and 11th among Power Five players in assists.
“Hidalgo was ACC Tournament MVP as Notre Dame won the title. She’s one of the nation’s best perimeter defensive players. If seeds hold in the Albany 1 Regional, Hidalgo will get a second chance at South Carolina. The teams met in the season opener in Paris, won 100-71 by the Gamecocks. Hidalgo had 31 points, 3 steals and 3 assists in that game.”
Also notable: Hidalgo outshined Bueckers when Notre Dame met UConn in Storrs, Conn. Hidalgo scored 34 points on and had 10 rebounds and 6 assists. Bueckers shot 29.4 percent, meanwhile, and finished with 17 points, 4 steals, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.
“It took a lot of guts for her to come in here and do what she did,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said after the game. “She’s damn good, right? Yeah.”
Hidalgo leads Notre Dame (26-6) into the tournament as a No. 2 seed. The Irish’s run in the big dance begins Saturday at 2:15 p.m. ET (ESPN) against No. 15 seed Kent State (21-10) at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Ind.
Here’s ESPN’s full list of the top 25 players you’ll see in this year’s NCAA Tournament. The only one in Notre Dame’s region of the bracket, Albany 1, are the two from South Carolina and one apiece from Indiana and Oregon State.
Top 25 players in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, per ESPN
- Caitlin Clark, Iowa
- JuJu Watkins, USC
- Cameron Brink, Stanford
- Paige Bueckers, UConn
- Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
- Rickea Jackson, Tennessee
- Georgia Amoore, Virginia Tech
- Aaliyah Edwards, UConn
- Madison Booker, Texas
- Angel Reese, LSU
- Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech
- Lauren Betts, UCLA
- Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina
- Alissa Pili, Utah
- Aneesah Morrow, LSU
- Jacy Sheldon, Ohio State
- Kiki Iriafen, Stanford
- Mackenzi Holmes, Indiana
- Ta’Niya Latson, Florida State
- Dyaisha Fair, Syracuse
- Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina
- Ayoka Lee, Kansas State
- Raegan Beers, Oregon State
- Audi Crooks, Iowa State
- Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga
