Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles Orchestrate Stunning Sequence in Notre Dame Win

Notre Dame's backcourt of Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles continued to electrify basketball fans with a stunning sequence in a win over Loyola Maryland.
Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo, left, and guard Olivia Miles (5) celebrate a goal scored during an exhibition game against Davenport on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend. Notre Dame won 101-41.
Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo, left, and guard Olivia Miles (5) celebrate a goal scored during an exhibition game against Davenport on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend. Notre Dame won 101-41. / Michael Clubb / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's hard to argue against Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles being the best backcourt in the country.

The pair have been the catalyst to wins over both USC and UConn this season after all. And after the latter contest, Huskies coach Geno Auriemma even lamented the fact that the Irish were playing with a short rotation, which meant the two guards were constants on the floor.

The duo's brilliance was on display once again on Sunday, with the Irish cruising to a 97-54 win over Loyola Maryland. But despite the routine nature of the victory, one stunning sequence stood out .

Late in the third quarter Miles and Hidalgo orchestrated perhaps the best overall highlight combination of the year thus far. First, Miles found a streaking a Hidalgo with a slick behind-the-back and between-the-legs dish that resulted in a layup. Seconds later, Hidalgo stole the ball from Loyola and tossed an over-the-shoulder pass to teammate Liatu King for the finish. Hidalgo's dime was the second such pass from her to make highlight reels this season.

The Notre Dame women's basketball X account shared an up close look at the sequence, appropriately captioned in part, "chat, is this real??"

Miles finished the contest with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. While Hidalgo, who has emerged as a frontrunner for National Player of the Year, added 33 points and 5 steals. Yet despite all those impressive stats, it was the back-to-back plays that left the lasting impression.

Surely fans are in for more basketball brilliance from the Irish backcourt, while upcoming opponents can't be thrilled about seeing Hidalgo and Miles on the scouting report.


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Robin Lundberg
ROBIN LUNDBERG

Robin Lundberg is a media veteran and hoops head who has spent the bulk of his career with iconic brands like Sports Illustrated and ESPN. His insights have also been featured on platforms such as Fox and CNN and he can currently be heard hosting shows for Sirius XM and on his burgeoning YouTube show. And now he brings his basketball expertise to Women's Fastbreak on SI!