Notre Dame was desperate. The Fighting Irish had to face ranked North Carolina after dropping out of the rankings completely. Hannah Hidalgo came through when it mattered most, leading them to a shocking 73–50 win that kept their NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

Now, analyst Sabreena Merchant remarks that Hidalgo’s performance against ranked opponents puts her in the top tier.

“Since Hannah Hidalgo started in her rookie season, she has five 30-point games against AP-ranked opponents. The other players on this list who also have five 30-point games against AP-ranked opponents in that time—JuJu Watkins, Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers—show her elite level,” Merchant noted on The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show.

The numbers back up this claim.

Hidalgo scored 31 points against UNC and also had 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and an impressive 7 steals. Her strong defense caused 22 turnovers, which Notre Dame turned into 27 points. This gave them a huge lead that basically decided the game.

Hidalgo now has 14 career 30-point games, more than any other player in Notre Dame history, besides her performance on Sunday. Five of those performances have happened this season, and she has now scored in double figures in 83 straight games, depicting her consistency.

Hidalgo also discussed how her approach to the game has changed as she has grown.

“My biggest thing was that next play mentality and being able to manage my emotions, and then also be able to manage my teammates’ emotions and not be so worried about myself,” she told USA TODAY Sports.

“I feel like I’ve grown a lot in that area, especially from a freshman to now. I still think I have a lot of growth to do.”

Hidalgo isn’t just carrying Notre Dame; she’s leading it like a pro. She became everything without Olivia Miles: scorer, leader, and emotional support. Her game-winning shot against USC showed her efficacy under pressure. She proved why she sits at the same level as Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers when she played at UNC.

Hannah Hidalgo earns ACC Player of the Week honors

It’s hard to ignore the strength Hidalgo has.

She won her fourth Player of the Week award this season for her performance at UNC, and it’s only the beginning. She is now a member of an elite group with 10 career awards and one of only two in ACC history to score in double digits.

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The numbers tell the truth.

Hidalgo was the only ACC player to score 30 points against a top-25 team that week, and it was against ranked UNC. The ND captain comes through week after week. But honestly, it’s no shocker. Hidalgo is the reigning ACC Player of the Year. As a sophomore, she was the nation’s No. 3 scorer with 24.2 points per game and was also named league Defensive Player of the Year.

She teamed with Olivia Miles to form an elite backcourt, helping the preseason favorite and sixth-ranked Fighting Irish claim a share of the regular-season title. So, this isn’t luck; it’s consistent brilliance.

On Thursday, Notre Dame will play No. 10 Louisville at Purcell Pavilion. The game starts at 6 p.m. ET on January 15 and will be shown on ACCN. Expectedly, Hidalgo will have another chance to show that she is the ACC’s best player right now.