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Vanderbilt Faces Notre Dame in Sweet 16 Showdown
Top scorers Mikayla Blakes and Hannah Hidalgo go head-to-head as Commodores take on Fighting Irish
Mar. 25, 2026 at 10:03am
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Vanderbilt basketball, the No. 2 seed, will take on No. 6 seed Notre Dame in the Sweet 16 of the 2026 Women's March Madness tournament. The matchup features a battle between SEC Player of the Year Mikayla Blakes and ACC Player of the Year Hannah Hidalgo, two of the nation's top scorers. The winner will advance to face either North Carolina or UConn in the Elite Eight.
Why it matters
This is a high-profile matchup between two of the top teams and players in women's college basketball. The winner will be one step closer to a national championship, while the loser's season will come to an end. The game also features an intriguing subplot with former Vanderbilt player Iyana Moore now suiting up for Notre Dame as a graduate transfer.
The details
Blakes, a sophomore guard, leads the country in scoring at 27.1 points per game, while Hidalgo, a junior guard, averages 25.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 steals per game. The two played together on the U.S. national team in 2025, with Blakes earning MVP honors. Notre Dame got off to a slow start this season but has won 11 of its last 13 games, including upsets of Ohio State and Louisville, making the Fighting Irish a dangerous tournament team.
- The game will be played on March 27, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. CT in Fort Worth, Texas.
The players
Mikayla Blakes
The SEC Player of the Year, Blakes is the country's top scorer at 27.1 points per game for Vanderbilt.
Hannah Hidalgo
The ACC Player of the Year, Hidalgo averages 25.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 steals per game for Notre Dame.
Iyana Moore
A graduate transfer from Vanderbilt, Moore is now averaging 12.2 points per game for Notre Dame.
What they’re saying
“Blakes and Hidalgo going head-to-head is must-see TV. These are two of the best players in the country and it's going to be an epic battle.”
— Aria Gerson, Sports Writer
What’s next
The winner of Vanderbilt vs. Notre Dame will face the winner of the North Carolina vs. UConn matchup in the Elite Eight.
The takeaway
This Sweet 16 showdown features two of the top teams and players in women's college basketball, setting the stage for an exciting and high-stakes battle with a spot in the Elite Eight on the line.
