Notre Dame seeks redemption against UConn in Elite Eight rematch

Irish star Hannah Hidalgo says her team is playing 'Notre Dame basketball' after earlier blowout loss to Huskies

Mar. 28, 2026 at 7:23pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the action and energy of a women's college basketball game, with sharp geometric shapes in navy, green, and white representing the players, court, and crowd.The storied Notre Dame-UConn rivalry renews with a high-stakes Elite Eight matchup, as the underdogs Irish seek to avenge an earlier blowout loss and punch their ticket to the Final Four.South Bend Today

Notre Dame junior star Hannah Hidalgo says her team is a different squad than the one that suffered a 38-point blowout loss to UConn earlier this season, as the two rivals meet in the Elite Eight of the NCAA women's basketball tournament. The No. 6 seed Irish have turned a corner since that January defeat, winning 10 of their last 11 games, and are confident they can give the dominant Huskies a much tougher challenge this time around.

Why it matters

The Notre Dame-UConn rivalry is one of the most storied in women's college basketball, with the Irish holding a 40-16 all-time record against the Huskies and five NCAA tournament wins - the most of any program. This Elite Eight matchup represents a chance for Notre Dame to prove it can hang with the perennial powerhouse and potentially advance to the Final Four.

The details

Notre Dame junior Hannah Hidalgo struggled in the team's 38-point loss to UConn in January, scoring just 16 points on 5-for-15 shooting. But Hidalgo says the Irish were "a little starstruck" and "played a little afraid" in that first meeting. Now, with more experience against the Huskies' physicality, Hidalgo believes Notre Dame is ready to show its true potential. The Irish have won 10 of 11 since that loss, with Hidalgo recording a triple-double in the team's Sweet 16 win.

  • The teams first met on January 19, 2026 in Storrs, Connecticut, with UConn winning 88-50.
  • The Elite Eight rematch will take place on March 29, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas.

The players

Hannah Hidalgo

A junior star for Notre Dame who had success against UConn earlier in her career, including a 34-point, 10-rebound, 6-assist game as a freshman. She struggled in the January loss but believes the Irish are a different team now.

Niele Ivey

The Notre Dame head coach who won a national championship with the Irish as a player and was a longtime assistant before taking over for Muffet McGraw. She knows what it takes to beat UConn.

Geno Auriemma

The legendary UConn head coach, who has led the Huskies to 16 Final Four appearances in 18 tournaments and is seeking another national title.

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What they’re saying

“I feel like I can say that UConn hasn't seen the best Notre Dame. 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.”

— Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame Junior

“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. I think her team obviously feeds off of that.”

— Geno Auriemma, UConn Head Coach

What’s next

The winner of the Notre Dame-UConn matchup will advance to the Final Four, one step closer to the national championship.

The takeaway

This Elite Eight clash represents a chance for Notre Dame to prove it can hang with the perennial powerhouse Huskies and potentially pull off a March Madness upset, building on the team's impressive late-season surge and the superstar play of Hannah Hidalgo.