For every game Vanderbilt has won this season, the sentiment around the opposition camp has echoed the same question: How good is Mikayla Blakes? The Vanderbilt guard has scored 20+ points with ease, and for most of the season, the Commodores have been just about her, even drawing claims of the “best player in the nation” from her head coach, Shea Ralph. Now, Blakes has added another silver lining while receiving huge praise from an equally formidable counterpart.

Speaking ahead of the Vanderbilt-Notre Dame Sweet 16 game, Fighting Irish star and No.3 scoring leader in the nation, Hannah Hidalgo, highlighted Blakes’ all-around scoring prowess on the court, which the former feels is similar to the level of a certain Caitlin Clark.

“She can score the ball in so many different ways. The way she’s able to put the ball in the hoop, it’s like Caitlin-type of level,” Hidalgo said. “She can score on all three levels, whether that’s getting all the way to the basket, her midrange, or her three. Of course, that’s always tough to guard.”

Blakes’ numbers this season, of course, do justice in this regard. The Vanderbilt guard is currently leading the nation in points, averaging 27 points per game. Her stats speak for themselves, boasting around 46% from the field and 35.5% from deep, as Hidalgo’s assessment found. But her impact on the Commodores isn’t just about the stats. It’s about how she has stepped up every time her team has needed her, much like Clark used to do for Iowa or currently does for the Indiana Fever.

Blakes’ scoring spree has seen her match the records of CC and JuJu Watkins for having multiple 30+ point games this season against top-five opponents, perfectly reflecting how she has helped the Commodores to close out tightrope games.

But come the Notre Dame game, it’s not about how Blakes fares against the Fighting Irish; it’s about how Blakes would clash against Hidalgo. There is no doubt that Hidalgo falls in that same bracket as Blakes. Throughout the season, Notre Dame has been led by Hidalgo, who has even shouldered the Fighting Irish to a March Madness spot and now to the Sweet 16.

Her matchup with Blake is poised to be a hot take of this March Madness as the two lock horns following a brief history since their high school and AAU days. “My earliest memory against Mikaela was my senior year (in high school),” Hidalgo added. “I had to guard her the whole game, and the things she brings to her team is different.”

The Fighting Irish guard, though, is not buying into this one-on-one matchup, as she feels it’s more at stake for both teams as a whole than for their individual head-to-heads. “It’s not about me versus Mikayla,” Hidalgo added in her press conference. “It’s about Notre Dame versus Vanderbilt.”

As per their team, there’s no match for Vanderbilt and Notre Dame. The Commodores have been immensely superior in the season. And the narrative traces back to whether Hidalgo can lock down Blakes in the game.

Vanderbilt Head Coach Shares Her Take on Hannah Hidalgo-Mikayla Blakes Clash

It’s quite certain that the outcome of the Hidalgo-Blakes clash can largely impact the fate of this Sweet 16 game. Although the Commodores have the likes of Aubrey Galvan and Sacha Washington in their arsenal, diminishing Mikayla Blakes’ say on the game will force the Commodores to take a steep road that they haven’t been familiar with in the season. Amid all these on-paper analyses, Commodores head coach Shea Ralph has shared her two cents on this anticipated clash.

“She’s not our only great player, but watching Michaela and coaching Michaela has been one of the greatest blessings of my career,” Ralph said. “Hannah’s also a great player in her own right. I don’t know her as well. What I do know about Michaela is that I don’t have to worry about her getting outside of herself. I never have. And my guess is I never will. She was built for these moments.

Ralph’s assessment made one thing clear: she’s taking a major interest in this Blakes-Hidalgo matchup, given the impact it would have on the game. But quietly, Ralph believes her player does have the mettle to edge Hidalgo out in this must-win game for both teams. But one thing must be remembered: Hidalgo isn’t just the third-highest scoring leader in the nation; she also leads the list in steals, perfectly reflecting her defensive output, and gives an early warning sign to Blakes and the Commodores.

The player of the moment, Blakes, has also given her take on facing Hidalgo in the Notre Dame game, “She’s really good, and I feel like one thing about the both of us is we never get denied the ball,” Blakes said.

The game is set to tip off on March 27 at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. Even though the Commodores seem to be a much more prominent side on paper, ESPN analytics suggests a tighter game. The differences are narrow, with Vanderbilt leading at 58.7%, while Notre Dame enjoys the remaining.

With a few hours left in the game, what are your expectations for this game, and more importantly, the head-to-head clash between Hannah Hidalgo and Mikayla Blakes? Do let us know in the comments.