SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Interstat) — In a game defined by relentless defensive pressure and a decisive disparity in ball security, the Notre Dame women’s basketball team overcame an early offensive surge from Miami to secure a 74-66 victory in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup Thursday night at a sold-out Joyce Athletic Center.

The Fighting Irish, improving to 13-6 overall, were propelled by a dominant defensive performance that generated 15 steals and forced 21 Miami turnovers. Those takeaways were converted into 27 points, a 16-point advantage over what the Hurricanes managed off turnovers, which proved to be the central narrative of the contest.

Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo, a 5-foot-6 sophomore from Merchantville, New Jersey, was the catalyst, finishing with a game-high 27 points, five assists and a staggering seven steals in 39 minutes. Her defensive activity consistently disrupted Miami’s offensive flow, especially as the game progressed.

Miami, which fell to 11-8, started with remarkable efficiency, shooting over 50% in the first quarter to build a 25-17 lead. The Hurricanes’ early attack was balanced, with Amarachi Kimpson scoring 11 of her team-high 21 points in the opening period. The visitors maintained a 41-36 advantage at halftime, but the foundation was already cracking under Notre Dame’s persistent defensive pressure.

The most important stretch of the game came in the third quarter, when Notre Dame’s defense fully took control. The Irish held Miami to just 15 points in the period while forcing eight turnovers. A 12-2 run, fueled by transition opportunities created from those steals, turned a five-point deficit into a 52-48 lead for Notre Dame with 2:30 left in the quarter. Hidalgo was at the heart of the run, contributing a steal and a layup, an assist on a Cassandre Prosper three-pointer, and another steal that led to free throws.

While Miami’s interior presence, led by 6-foot-6 center Ra Shaya Kyle’s 15 points and nine rebounds, kept the Hurricanes within striking distance, they could never fully recover from the turnover barrage. The Hurricanes finished with only four assists against their 21 giveaways, highlighting their offensive disintegration.

Notre Dame complemented its defensive effort with efficient offensive numbers. The Irish shot 9 of 21 from three-point range and 21 of 27 from the free-throw line. Iyana Moore added 19 points, including three three-pointers, while Prosper contributed 12 points, seven rebounds and stout defense. Kimpson led Miami with 21 points, followed by Ahnay Adams with 17.

Despite being outshot from the field — Miami finished at 51% to Notre Dame’s 43% — and outrebounded, the Irish leveraged their superior ball movement and opportunistic defense to control the game’s tempo. Notre Dame recorded 15 assists and committed only 12 turnovers, resulting in a significantly more efficient offensive rating of 101.6 compared to Miami’s 91.6.

The victory gives Notre Dame momentum heading into a critical stretch of ACC play, while Miami must address its ball-handling issues as it seeks to climb the conference standings. A crowd of 6,669 watched the contest, which saw the Irish execute a game plan centered on defensive intensity to overcome a talented Miami squad.