Notre Dame star freshman Hannah Hidalgo was frustrated after being forced to remove her nose ring and miss game time in her team's 70-65 loss to Oregon State in the Sweet 16. Despite averaging 22.9 points per game, she only scored 10 points in the game, matching a season low. Hidalgo missed about four minutes of play due to the removal of her nose ring, which she was unaware violated NCAA jewelry rules. Her coach expressed disappointment at the situation, and Hidalgo struggled to regain her flow after returning to the game, ending with emotional exchanges with her coach.
During Notre Dame's Sweet 16 game against Oregon State, star freshman Hannah Hidalgo was forced to sit out for over four minutes in the second quarter while officials extracted her nose ring, which affected her performance as Notre Dame eventually lost 70-65. The incident raised questions about why the officials didn't address the issue pre-game and sparked disbelief from the Irish head coach. Hidalgo attributed her cold second half to being taken out of rhythm, and Notre Dame's season came to an end as Oregon State advanced to the Elite Eight.
Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo missed over four minutes of game time during the Sweet 16 matchup against Oregon State to remove her nose ring, as per NCAA rules prohibiting jewelry. This unexpected absence coincided with a 7-0 run by Notre Dame upon her return, but ultimately, Oregon State secured a 70-65 victory, advancing to the Elite Eight. Hidalgo, a first-team All-American, finished with 10 points and four rebounds, and her removal from the game sparked a debate about the enforcement of jewelry rules in women's basketball.
