FORT WORTH -- Notre Dame junior star Hannah Hidalgo doesn't have to be reminded about what happened the last time her Irish faced off against the UConn Huskies: a 38-point blowout in Storrs, the first time in her career she'd lost to Notre Dame's longtime rival.
But Jan. 19 feels like ages ago -- especially considering how far this No. 6 seed Irish team, now playing its best basketball, has come since then.
"I feel like I can say that UConn hasn't seen the best Notre Dame," Hidalgo said Saturday, a day before her team will meet the Huskies in the Elite Eight for the first time. "I take joy in knowing that when they saw us the first time, it was not Notre Dame basketball. Now we're playing Notre Dame basketball to the best of our ability, and so I think it'll be a fun game."
Hidalgo had been a problem for the Huskies earlier in her career. As a freshman, she put up 34 points, 10 rebounds and six assists against them in Storrs, and she once more nearly notched a triple-double against them the following year in South Bend with 29 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
But the script was flipped earlier this season. Hidalgo struggled in that January contest, finishing with just 16 points on 5-for-15 shooting. And the roster turnover Notre Dame experienced this past offseason meant this Irish group was relatively inexperienced going up against a program as iconic -- and a team that remains as dominant -- as the Huskies.
"I think before when we played UConn, we played a little afraid," Hidalgo said, pointing in part to the Huskies' physicality. "... I think we were a little probably starstruck. Being in a stage like that was different. ... it was a lot of people's first time playing at UConn, against UConn. So now that we've seen it, we've been through it, I think it'll help us a lot."
Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey -- who won a national championship with the Irish as player and was a longtime assistant before taking over for Muffet McGraw -- knows better than almost anyone what it takes to go up against and beat the Huskies.
"It's a different type of game. It's a different type of mindset," Ivey said. "They can crush you from the beginning, so you have to have confidence for 40 minutes. You can't come into the game not having confidence, because they'll take it away right from the beginning.
"Everybody has that under their belt now. There's no surprise in what we're going to see tomorrow. It has to be 40 minutes of a lot of toughness and a lot of fight."
The Huskies know better, too, than to expect the same outcome as January.
The Irish turned a corner in February, winning 10 of their last 11 games -- their sole loss in that stretch by two against a tough Duke team that punched its ticket to the Elite Eight on Friday.
This Notre Dame squad has less star power than some of its previous teams, but the group has prided itself on its chemistry and is coalescing at the right time around its superstar. Hidalgo recorded the second triple-double in NCAA tournament history involving steals in Friday's win, finishing with 31 points, 11 rebounds, 10 steals and seven assists.
UConn coach Geno Auriemma -- who called Hidalgo's performance Friday as "one for the ages" -- compared her to former NFL defensive great Lawrence Taylor.
"She's just a unique player that comes along once in a lifetime, and she has the ability to disrupt and cause chaos like nobody I've ever seen," Auriemma said. "I think her team obviously feeds off of that."
Added sophomore guard Kayleigh Heckel: "She moves a lot, and it's kind of hard to stay with her. Super athletic, super fast. She does everything, she passes, she rebounds, she's a great defender, so it's kind of hard to play against the player like her."
The programs' rivalry also remains difficult to ignore, even if it doesn't look the same as it was at its height in the 2010s.
UConn leads the series 40-16, but the Irish's five March Madness wins against the Huskies -- all under McGraw -- are the most of any program. They are also the only program with a winning record against UConn in the NCAA tournament.
"Kind of like a bloodbath," Fudd said describing the past UConn-Notre Dame matchups. "Definitely every time we get to play them and then any time you're playing in March in Elite Eight, trying to get to the Final Four, it's an honor, it's a privilege, and every team is going to play their heart out."
The Huskies will enter the game seeking the program's 17th Final Four appearance in 18 tournaments, and to get one step closer to an undefeated campaign and securing back-to-back national titles.
The Irish? As a No. 6 seed few expected to make even beyond the second round, "we have nothing to lose," Ivey said. "We have no pressure on us."
"I think everybody counted us out, and everybody doubted us," Hidalgo said. "And so it's like, 'Oh, why not [us]?'"
Facts Only
Notre Dame and UConn will play in the Elite Eight of the NCAA women's basketball tournament.
The game is scheduled for Sunday, following Notre Dame's Sweet 16 win on Friday.
Notre Dame is the No. 6 seed; UConn is a higher seed pursuing its 17th Final Four in 18 tournaments.
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame's junior star, recorded a triple-double (31 points, 11 rebounds, 10 steals, 7 assists) in the Sweet 16.
UConn defeated Notre Dame 73-35 in their previous meeting on January 19 in Storrs, Connecticut.
Hidalgo scored 16 points on 5-for-15 shooting in the January loss.
Notre Dame has won 10 of its last 11 games, with its only loss by two points to Duke.
UConn leads the all-time series 40-16 but has lost five NCAA tournament games to Notre Dame, the most by any program.
Notre Dame is the only program with a winning record against UConn in the NCAA tournament.
UConn coach Geno Auriemma compared Hidalgo to NFL great Lawrence Taylor, calling her performance "one for the ages."
Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey played and coached under Muffet McGraw, winning a national championship with the Irish.
UConn is undefeated this season and seeking back-to-back national titles.
Notre Dame players and coaches emphasize their improved confidence and physicality since the January loss.
Executive Summary
Notre Dame and UConn are set to face off in the Elite Eight of the NCAA women's basketball tournament, marking their first meeting in this stage of the competition. The Irish, seeded sixth, have defied expectations by reaching this point, while the Huskies are pursuing their 17th Final Four appearance in 18 tournaments. Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo, who struggled in their earlier 38-point loss to UConn in January, has since elevated her play, recording a historic triple-double in the Sweet 16. The Irish have won 10 of their last 11 games, building confidence and chemistry as they prepare for the rematch. UConn, despite their dominance in the series (40-16), acknowledges Notre Dame's resilience and Hidalgo's disruptive playmaking. Both teams recognize the intensity of their rivalry, with Notre Dame holding the most NCAA tournament wins (five) against UConn of any program. The Irish enter the game with a "nothing to lose" mentality, while the Huskies aim to maintain their undefeated season and secure back-to-back titles.
The narrative highlights Notre Dame's growth since January, with Hidalgo and coach Niele Ivey emphasizing their team's improved toughness and familiarity with UConn's physicality. UConn's Geno Auriemma praised Hidalgo's versatility, comparing her to an NFL defensive great, while the Irish players dismiss the idea of being intimidated. The stakes are high: a Final Four berth for the winner, with UConn seeking to extend its legacy and Notre Dame aiming to prove its late-season surge is sustainable against elite competition.
Full Take
**Steelman:** The narrative effectively frames this Elite Eight matchup as a clash of narratives: UConn's sustained dominance versus Notre Dame's underdog resurgence. It gives due credit to Hidalgo's elite playmaking and the Irish's late-season turnaround while acknowledging UConn's historical edge and Auriemma's strategic acumen. The piece avoids overhyping either side, instead letting the players' and coaches' words convey the stakes and rivalry.
**Pattern Scan:** The article leans into the classic "underdog vs. dynasty" trope, which can subtly manipulate emotional investment. The framing of Notre Dame as having "nothing to lose" (ARC-0024 Ambiguity) risks oversimplifying their competitive intent, while the emphasis on Hidalgo's past struggles against UConn could be read as a setup for a redemption arc (ARC-0043 Motte-and-Bailey). However, these elements are presented as part of the teams' own narratives rather than imposed by the author.
**Root Cause:** The paradigm here is the cyclical nature of sports rivalries—dynasties rise, underdogs challenge, and narratives shift. The unstated assumption is that Notre Dame's growth is linear, but sports history shows momentum can be fragile. The piece echoes the broader pattern of women's basketball gaining visibility, with players like Hidalgo becoming focal points in ways that transcend team success.
**Implications:** For human agency, this story highlights how resilience (Notre Dame's turnaround) and legacy (UConn's pursuit of perfection) intersect. The cost is borne by the losing team, but the benefit extends to fans and the sport's growing audience. Second-order consequences could include increased attention to women's basketball and validation for mid-major programs aiming to disrupt power structures.
**Bridge Questions:** How much of Notre Dame's confidence is rooted in tangible improvement versus the psychological relief of having already faced UConn? What would it mean for the sport if a No. 6 seed like Notre Dame dethrones a powerhouse like UConn in the Elite Eight? Could this game shift perceptions of "underdog" narratives in women's basketball?
**Counterstrike Scan:** A coordinated influence campaign would amplify the "David vs. Goliath" angle to maximize engagement, possibly downplaying UConn's vulnerabilities or overstating Notre Dame's chances. The actual content avoids this, presenting balanced perspectives from both teams. No structural alignment with manipulation tactics is detected.
Patterns detected: ARC-0024 Ambiguity, ARC-0043 Motte-and-Bailey