Hidalgo and Moore Power Notre Dame Past NC State, Set Up Semifinal Clash with Duke

By: Raymond Forte

The second game of the Ally ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament quarterfinals featured a showdown between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the NC State Wolfpack at Gas South Arena.

Notre Dame entered the matchup after a 69–54 win over Miami in the previous round, while NC State arrived fresh with a double bye. The two teams last met during the regular season in February, a game that ended in a decisive 93–64 win for the Fighting Irish.

From the opening tip, Hannah Hidalgo and Iyana Moore set the tone for Notre Dame. Each scored 10 points in the first quarter, helping the Fighting Irish jump out to a 23–18 lead.

While Notre Dame found success early, the offense slowed in the second quarter. The Fighting Irish shot just 31 percent from the field, going 6-for-19 in the period. Their defense, however, kept them firmly in control. Notre Dame held NC State to just five points through the first half of the quarter and consistently disrupted the Wolfpack’s rhythm.

Despite shooting 7-for-13 in the second quarter, NC State struggled to take care of the ball. The Wolfpack committed nine turnovers in the period and finished the first half with 12.

Moore added seven points in the quarter, while Hidalgo entered the break as the game’s leading scorer with 16 points. On the other side, NC State’s Kahn Pierre recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, helping keep the Wolfpack within reach as they trailed 40–32 at halftime.

The third quarter belonged to Notre Dame.

Hidalgo and Cassandre Prosper sparked a 10–0 run to open the half, stretching the Fighting Irish lead to 60–36 and shifting the momentum firmly in Notre Dame’s favor. NC State managed just four points until Devyn Quigley converted a three-point play with 2:13 remaining in the quarter.

By the end of the third, Notre Dame held a commanding 62–41 lead.

The Fighting Irish continued to pull away in the fourth quarter. KK Bransford provided a boost off the bench with a team-high six points in the final period, while Notre Dame’s offense remained efficient, shooting 62 percent from the field for the game.

Hidalgo finished with a game-high 25 points, while Moore added 20 points and nine rebounds as Notre Dame secured an 81–63 victory over NC State.

With the win, the Fighting Irish advance to the ACC Tournament semifinals, where they will face the Duke Blue Devils tomorrow at 12 p.m. EDT.