During the recent Sweet 16 matchup between Notre Dame and Oregon State, Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo faced an unexpected setback when she was required to remove her nose piercing, causing her to miss a portion of the game. Despite averaging an impressive 22.9 points per game, the freshman player struggled to make an impact, scoring only 10 points in the game, which marked a season low for her.
According to NCAA women’s basketball Rule 1-25.7, players are not allowed to wear jewelry during games, a regulation that Hidalgo was not aware of. Initially, she was under the impression that she could cover up her nose ring, but was later informed otherwise once the game was underway.
As a result, Hidalgo had to sit out for approximately four minutes at the beginning of the second quarter while the training staff worked to remove the ring. Notre Dame's coach, Niele Ivey, expressed disappointment at the timing of the enforcement of the jewelry rule, stating that it impacted Hidalgo's performance and disrupted her flow in the game.
Despite the challenges she faced, Hidalgo eventually returned to the court when Notre Dame was trailing by two points. However, she struggled to find her rhythm and only managed to score her first field goal after re-entering the game with less than a minute remaining. Hidalgo's emotional response throughout the game was evident, but she received encouragement from her coach to stay focused and not let her performance affect her mindset.
Ultimately, Notre Dame fell short against Oregon State with a final score of 70-65. The incident involving Hidalgo's nose piercing removal highlighted the importance of adhering to NCAA regulations and the impact it can have on players during crucial moments in the game.
For more updates on the NCAA women's basketball tournament, you can visit the AP March Madness bracket at this link and access comprehensive coverage of the event at this link.
