ALBANY, N.Y. – Hannah Hidalgo mentioned it was “BS” she needed to sit out for greater than 4 minutes whereas her nostril piercing was eliminated and mentioned it disrupted her sport.
Notre Dame’s All-America level guard has worn a diamond stud within the left aspect of her nostril all season. “Head decorations, head put on, helmets, and jewellery are unlawful,” in response to NCAA guidelines, however it hadn’t been a problem till Friday’s Candy 16 sport in opposition to Oregon State.
Hidalgo mentioned one of many officers advised her throughout warm-ups that she would wish to take it out. She requested if she might cowl it as an alternative and mentioned she was advised that will be tremendous. On the finish of the primary quarter, nonetheless, Hidalgo mentioned she was advised it needed to be eliminated.
“I believe it’s BS,” Hidalgo advised USA TODAY Sports activities after Notre Dame’s 70-65 loss. “They need to have simply let me play with it if that’s what they mentioned.”
Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey mentioned she wasn’t given an evidence however thinks “it was a degree of emphasis within the Candy 16 with jewellery.”
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“Simply want we’d have recognized beforehand,” Ivey mentioned. “Can’t management it so we needed to transfer on.”
Hidalgo spent the primary four-plus minutes of the second quarter on the finish of the bench whereas members of the coaching employees labored to take away the stud. She didn’t test again into the sport till there was 5:51 left within the second quarter.
Hidalgo was 2 of 4 within the first quarter. She was 2 of 13 the remainder of the way in which, and her 10 factors and 4 discipline objectives tied her season lows.
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“It’s huge,” Hildalgo mentioned. “I’m on a run, I’m feeling good. To not (play) these 5 minutes and sit chilly.”
Mentioned Ivey, who was a degree guard on Notre Dame’s 2001 nationwide championship crew, “Stoppage of play isn’t nice while you’re attempting to have stream.”