SOUTH BEND, Ind. — In a commanding performance, the No. 3 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish dominated Loyola Maryland with a final score of 97-54 on Sunday. All-American point guard Hannah Hidalgo led the charge with an impressive 33 points, just two shy of her career-best, alongside five steals, facilitating a swift 20-0 advantage in fast-break opportunities for her team.

Graduate guard Olivia Miles also shone brightly, contributing significantly to the victory by scoring 18 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and providing 10 assists, marking her fifth career triple-double. Miles has established herself as a standout player, uniquely positioned as the only athlete in the country averaging at least 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists per game this season.

Liatu King also made a notable impact, scoring 18 points while securing 10 rebounds, which marked her seventh double-double of the season. On the opposing side, Laura Salmeron stood out for Loyola Maryland, leading her team with 23 points in the contest.

Observations from the matchup showed that Loyola Maryland struggled early, trailing 26-9 before recovering somewhat in the second quarter, during which they shot 7-of-14. They managed to be narrowly outscored by only one point (16-15) in that period.

For Notre Dame, the team’s sharpshooting continued to impress as they converted 10-of-20 three-point attempts. The Fighting Irish entered this game boasting the nation’s best three-point percentage at 42.8%. After a challenging opening game where they only made 3-of-17 from beyond the arc, they have since found their rhythm with 99 successful attempts out of 218, culminating in a 45.5% success rate.

A pivotal moment in the game came when Miles showcased her defensive prowess by blocking a lay-up attempt, recovering the ball in the corner, and then maneuvering down the court to assist King for a fast-break score.

In terms of stats, after allowing a three-pointer that opened the third quarter for Loyola Maryland, Notre Dame quickly countered with a resounding 12-0 run within just 1 minute and 52 seconds.

Looking ahead, Loyola Maryland will welcome Haverford on December 30. Meanwhile, Notre Dame will kick off Atlantic Coast Conference play at home against Virginia on December 29.