Notre Dame Dominates on the Road; Smashes Wake Forest 78-54
- Brenden Duffy
- 8 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Hannah Hidalgo’s 26-point night was more than enough as Notre Dame Women’s Basketball hammered the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Thursday evening in Winston-Salem, 78-54.
Photo via Notre Dame Athletics
Coming off a resume-boosting win against NC State, Notre Dame (16-9; 8-6) kicked off a short two-game road trip with a road matchup at Wake Forest (13-13; 3-11). Ultra-efficient shooting and lockdown defense were keys in the dominant showing. Four Irish scorers reached double digits while four defenders tallied at least two steals.
The Irish started hot, kicking off the game with a 10-0 stretch featuring threes from Hidalgo and Iyana Moore. Wake Forest did not go away that easily at home, though, stringing together a 7-0 run led by Grace Oliver. Notre Dame closed the last four minutes of the quarter on a 6-2 run, with four points from KK Bransford, extending their lead to 16-9 heading into the next frame.
Hidalgo opened up the second quarter with a three-pointer to push the Irish lead to 10. Oliver then led the Deacons on a 6-0 run, cutting the Irish lead to 19-15 four minutes into the quarter. Following some back-and-forth, Notre Dame maintained a four-point, 24-20, lead with 2:58 to play in the half. The Irish found their touch in these last two-plus minutes, draining three three-pointers in an 11-3 closing stretch. A made layup by Bransford gave Notre Dame a 35-23 lead at halftime.
The Irish dominated coming out of halftime, outscoring Wake Forest 21-6 in the first 8:12 of the third quarter. A three from Sanchez extended the Irish lead to a game-high 27-points, 56-29. The Deacons were able to close the final one-plus minute on a 6-0 run, led by Emily Johns. Bransford’s team-high of six points in the quarter helped send the Irish into the final frame with a 56-35 lead.
Wake Forest opened up the fourth on an 8-4 run, including back-to-back threes that cut the Irish lead to 17 about 2:15 into the quarter. Moore knocked down her third three-pointer of the night with 6:35 remaining, which pushed the visitors’ lead back up to 22, 65-43. The rest of the game was back-and-forth, with Hidalgo’s six points in the final four minutes more than enough to hold off the Demon Deacons.
Notre Dame’s 78-54 win at Wake Forest improves their record to 17-9 overall and 9-6 in ACC play. The Irish take their two-game streak into Dallas on Sunday evening for a date with the SMU Mustangs (9-17; 2-12).
Irish Stars:
Hannah Hidalgo: 26 points (10-20 FGs, 3-4 3FGs, 3-3 FTs), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, +26, 32 minutes played
Iyana Moore: 11 points (3-7 3FGs, 2-2 FTs), 5 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal, +22, 29 minutes played
Cassandre Prosper: 10 points (4-6 FGs, 2-2 FTs), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, +23, 29 minutes played
Malaya Cowles: 6 points (3-6 FGs), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 3 steals, +27, 30 minutes played
Vanesa de Jesus: 6 steals, +12, 32 minutes played
Key Team Stats:
Field Goal Percentage: ND (52%) - WF (40%)
Three Point Percentage: ND (44%) - WF (24%)
Free Throw Percentage: ND (89%) - WF (61%)
Steals: ND (17) - WF (6)
Blocks: ND (5) - WF (1)
Want the latest intel on Notre Dame football? Subscribe to Tribune+ and get access to recruiting and team intel from The Irish Tribune team, as well as access to our intel community, exclusive app, and more Notre Dame content: Subscribe here to support our independent journalism.
Follow The Irish Tribune on social media:
Follow @Brenden_Duffy on X
Liked this story? Subscribe to our mailing list and get every story in your inbox.
Check out our Irish partners:
TMPR Sports - Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your officially-licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle here!
Comments