With Oregon State main Notre Dame by 2 factors after the primary quarter in Friday’s Candy 16 matchup, Preventing Irish star freshman guard Hannah Hidalgo was pressured to exit the sport for greater than 4 minutes.
It wasn’t resulting from harm or foul bother. Somewhat, it was to take away her nostril ring.
Hidalgo started the second quarter on the bench together with her head again as trainers labored to rigorously take away the nostril stud. In line with Rule 1, Part 25, Article 7 of the NCAA girls’s basketball rulebook, “head decorations, head put on, helmets, and jewellery are unlawful.”
“She’s had a nostril ring the complete season,” Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey stated following the Preventing Irish’s 70-65 loss to Oregon State. “I want we’d identified earlier.”
Hidalgo had the nostril ring taped all through the season, because it was throughout Friday’s recreation in opposition to Oregon State. In line with the ESPN broadcast, officers requested Hidalgo to take away the ring earlier than persevering with to play. Ivey stated she was advised jewellery was some extent of emphasis for officers throughout the Candy 16.
Hidalgo’s nostril ring elimination caught the eye of Ole Miss girls’s basketball coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, who expressed her shock in posts on X.
“My gamers have been taking part in with nostril rings all season,” McPhee-McCuin stated. She additionally acknowledged gamers who Ole Miss performed in opposition to throughout the season additionally wore nostril rings.
Officers requested Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo to take away her nostril ring throughout the Candy 16 matchup in opposition to Oregon State.
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Hidalgo missed a complete of 4 minutes and 10 seconds of recreation motion. As soon as she checked again into the sport, Notre Dame went on a 7-0 run. She completed with 10 factors and 4 rebounds on 4-of-17 taking pictures from the ground.
Hidalgo, 19, was a first-team All-American throughout the 2023-24 season. She entered the sport averaging 22.9 factors, 6.2 rebounds and 5.6 assists per recreation on 45.5 1 % taking pictures from the ground.
With Oregon State’s win over Notre Dame, the Beavers superior to their first Elite Eight since 2018.
Comply with The Athletic’s stay protection of the Candy 16.
(Photograph: Andy Lyons / Getty Pictures)