Niele Ivey addresses Hannah Hidalgo jewelry stoppage: 'Wish we'd have known' about 'point of emphasis'

As the second quarter got underway in Friday’s Sweet Sixteen matchup against Oregon State, Notre Dame found itself without star freshman Hannah Hidalgo. She was on the bench with the trainers, apparently needing her nose ring removed mid-game, and missed more than four minutes of game time as a result.

Hidalgo apparently has had her piercing in all season, putting tape over it during games. However, Fighting Irish coach Niele Ivey said the officials were putting more “emphasis” on jewelry in the Sweet Sixteen – something the staff didn’t realize until the game was underway.

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“I didn’t know what happened, so I guess it was a point of emphasis in the Sweet Sixteen with jewelry,” Ivey said in her postgame press conference. “She’s had a nose ring the entire season. Just wish we’d have known beforehand. But can’t control it, so had to move on. But yeah, a stoppage of play is never great when you’re trying to have flow.”

Hidalgo struggled mightily in Friday’s game, going just 4-for-17 from the field – including 2-for-13 after the first quarter, with both field goals coming in the final three minutes of the game. Notre Dame kept pace with Oregon State, but the Beavers did just enough to come away with the 70-65 victory to advance to the Elite Eight.

Niele Ivey: In-game stoppages made it ‘hard’ for Notre Dame to find an early rhythm

As a group, the Fighting Irish had a rough go on offense despite 22 points from Sonia Citron. Notre Dame went just 26-for-73 from the floor, including 4-for-16 from three-point territory, as the six-player rotation struggled to find a rhythm. Ivey said the in-game stoppages, including one just 30 seconds into the first quarter, meant the Irish had to adjust as they tried to find a rhythm.

“It was hard, starting the game and felt [like] we got a flow, got a stop, then the clock. I mean, it’s part of it,” Ivey said. “We just have to pivot. But it definitely had more stoppage than I would’ve expected in a Sweet Sixteen game.”

Oregon State will now advance to the Elite Eight in the Albany 1 Region. The Beavers will now await their next opponent, which will be the winner of No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 4 Indiana.