SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Interstat) — Hannah Hidalgo scored 26 points to lead No. 7 Notre Dame to a 97-48 victory over Morehead State in women’s basketball Thursday night at Joyce Athletic Center. The Fighting Irish dominated from the start, leading 40-17 at halftime. Notre Dame’s defense forced turnovers that led to 31 points, while its offense scored 42 in the paint. Cassandre Prosper added 20 points and Vanessa de Jesus had 16 for the Irish, who improved to 7-2. Morehead State, which fell to 4-6, was led by Kate Dike’s 11 points. The Eagles scored 22 of their total in the fourth quarter. Attendance was 6,405.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Interstat) — Hannah Hidalgo scored 26 points and Notre Dame’s relentless defense forced a cascade of turnovers, powering the Fighting Irish to a 97-48 victory over Morehead State in a nonconference women’s basketball game Thursday night at a sold-out Joyce Athletic Center. The Irish, improving to 7-2, overwhelmed the Eagles from the opening tip, converting 31 points off 27 Morehead State turnovers. Notre Dame’s defensive pressure held the visitors to just 17 first-half points and a 26-point deficit at the break, effectively deciding the contest before halftime. Hidalgo, the dynamic 5-foot-6 guard from Merchantville, New Jersey, filled the stat sheet in just 30 minutes of action. Beyond her game-high scoring, she added three assists and a block while spearheading the defensive effort with five steals. Her performance set the tone, as Notre Dame scored 20 points in each of the first two quarters to build an insurmountable 40-17 lead. Vanessa de Jesus provided crucial support for Notre Dame with 16 points and five assists, while Cassandre Prosper dominated inside with 20 points on efficient shooting. The Irish’s size and athleticism translated to a 42-22 advantage in points in the paint. Morehead State, which fell to 4-6, struggled to find any offensive rhythm against Notre Dame’s swarming defense. The Eagles committed 10 turnovers in the first quarter alone, leading to 12 quick points for the Irish. Kate Dike led Morehead State with 11 points, but the team’s leading scorer was consistently harassed, contributing to the Eagles’ season-high turnover total. The most decisive stretch of the game came late in the first quarter and throughout the second. Leading 12-7, Notre Dame unleashed a 28-5 run that spanned nearly 12 minutes of game time. The surge was fueled entirely by defense and transition, with Hidalgo and Prosper repeatedly capitalizing on Morehead State miscues. By the time Dike made a layup with 9:45 left in the second quarter, the Irish lead had ballooned to 40-12, and the outcome was no longer in doubt. Notre Dame’s offensive execution matched its defensive intensity. The Irish shot over 50% from the floor for the game, including a 31-point fourth quarter, while sharing the ball for 20 assists. The Eagles showed brief life after halftime, scoring 22 points in the final period, but it was far too little against an Irish team that never relented. Landon Forbes finished with six points for Morehead State, and Josefine Enander added seven. The announced crowd of 6,405 watched Notre Dame bounce back emphatically from a road loss to Mississippi on Dec. 4. The Irish have now won five of their six home games this season by an average margin of 44 points. Morehead State, which entered on a two-game winning streak, saw its offense completely stifled. The Eagles’ 48 points marked a season low. Notre Dame now travels to face James Madison on Sunday. Morehead State returns home to host Arkansas-Little Rock on Tuesday.

Preview: Morehead State Eagles at Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Interstat) — The Notre Dame women’s basketball team looks to continue its strong nonconference play when it hosts the Morehead State Eagles on Thursday at the Joyce Athletic Center. The Fightin’ Irish (6-2) are coming off a dominant 93-58 road victory over Florida State on Sunday. Malaya Cowles recorded a double-double in that win with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Hannah Hidalgo added 17 points and nine assists. Cowles has been a consistent interior presence, averaging 9.0 points and 7.3 rebounds over her last four games. Notre Dame’s two losses this season came against then-Michigan and Mississippi, both by double digits. The Irish have otherwise been impressive, winning their other six games by an average of 33.8 points. Morehead State (4-5) arrives after a 61-54 win at Louisiana-Lafayette on Sunday. The Eagles are led by guard Kate Dike, who is averaging 19.4 points over her last five games. She exploded for a career-high 35 points in the win over Louisiana-Lafayette, playing 34 minutes. The Eagles have struggled against high-major competition, falling 96-49 at Louisville and 75-59 at Kentucky earlier this season. Their four wins have come against teams outside the Power Five conferences. This marks the first meeting between the programs. For Morehead State, it is the final game of a challenging three-game road stretch. Notre Dame continues a five-game homestand before visiting James Madison on Sunday. The game tips off at 7 p.m. EST Thursday.