Notre Dame spent months running the ACC, only to end up with a No. 3 seed? That’s got fans scratching their heads. After dominating for most of the season, the Fighting Irish stumbled at the worst possible time, finishing their last five games with a shaky 2-3 record. So, what went wrong for Hannah Hidalgo and her squad?

Well, in all three games, they couldn’t keep their foot on the gas. NC State broke their fifteen-game conference winning streak with a double overtime 104-95 performance, and Florida State capitalized on Notre Dame’s 86-81 moment of weakness. Not to mention, Duke ended the season off with a bang. These three losses changed the equation entirely for Hannah Hidalgo, Olivia Miles, and their team. Until NC State, they were undefeated. But now? They have some serious considerations to mull over, and analysts agree.

On ESPN’s The Elle Duncan Show, show hosts Elle Duncan and Gary Striewski discussed Notre Dame’s fortunes. They had an interesting point, or team, to bring up—Auburn. “We had just, the block prior, talked to Seth Greenberg about how Auburn was the number one overall seed after having lost three of their last four games.” Striewski said, pointing out a major imbalance between the two teams.

There’s a real argument to be made for Hannah Hidalgo and Notre Dame. Meanwhile, Auburn—despite its well-documented struggles—still locked up a No. 1 seed. Year after year, Bruce Pearl’s squad has struggled to get it together in March. Their losses to Tennessee, Alabama, and A&M reshaped the national rankings and cost them an SEC Tournament title. And yet, here they are, sitting atop the bracket.

So why did Auburn get the benefit of the doubt while Notre Dame, after a dominant season, got bumped down to a No. 3 seed? It’s the kind of selection committee decision that fuels debates—and frustrations—heading into the tournament.

Striewski brought up the double standards of the NCAA. “So that was kind of crazy to see those two mirrored images, same exact scenarios: Auburn getting rewarded for losing three of four, not winning the SEC. Notre Dame getting absolutely punished, having lost three out of their last five games.” If a top-ranked team like Auburn doesn’t get demoted after three humiliating losses, it doesn’t make sense for Notre Dame to go down either.

Still, it isn’t all bad for the Fighting Irish, as they face off against #14 SFA Ladyjacks on Friday. Not only that, Hannah Hidalgo just did something really special! What exactly? Let’s find out.

Hannah Hidalgo makes history alongside JuJu Watkins

Everyone knows that the AP All-American first team is made up of extraordinary juniors and seniors, while the freshman and sophomores deal in the second and third teams. However, both Hannah Hidalgo and JuJu Watkins decided to break the tradition this year!

The Notre Dame star has just added an impressive feather to her cap. Hidalgo holds the distinction of winning both ACC POTY and DPOY this season, but the All-American first team means something else entirely. Her selection broke decades old tradition, with the only other players reaching a similar peak being JuJu Watkins, Maya Moore, and Courtney Paris!

And she deserves every bit of it too! The Notre Dame sophomore averaged 24pts, 5reb, and nearly 4ast a game this season. Alongside Olivia Miles, Hidalgo has brought her team into championship contention this year.

Their coach, Niele Ivey, was very proud of the five-foot-six point guard. “What a well-deserved honor for Hannah. To be one of just four players to ever make the AP All-America first team in both of their first seasons is a major accomplishment. I’m so proud of her and I can’t wait to see what she does in March!” She said, appreciating her star player’s accomplishment!

Notre Dame has a lot to prove in the NCAA Tournament after the sudden drop in rankings. With their dynamic backcourt of Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles, there’s no doubt that they can push for a deep playoff run. The Fighting Irish have an explosive offense this year, the only question is how well they can capitalize on their advantages. Only time will tell if Notre Dame will be able to prove their doubters wrong, but we can’t wait to find out!