Notre Dame vs. Vanderbilt live score, updates, highlights from March Madness Sweet 16 game originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament kicks off Sweet 16 action Friday when No. 2 Vanderbilt and No. 6 Notre Dame battle in Fort Worth, Texas. This matchup to advance for an Elite Eight spot will be interesting. It puts two of the nation’s best scorers in a head-to-head battle.
If the Commodores can keep Hannah Hidalgo from going off, they’ll be positioned for a win with Mikayla Blakes leading the charge. But turnovers have been the Irish’s weakness and strength. Outside of lighting up the box score in points, Hidalgo can force opponents into difficult situations.
Today’s Sweet 16 game from Fort Worth will be live at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Notre Dame vs. Vanderbilt live updates, highlights from 2026 March Madness game
4th Quarter 3:53
Tie game at 59. Both teams are playing top defense down the stretch.
4th Quarter 5:48
Tie game at 57. Vanderbilt has clawed back into the game
4th Quarter 8:35
Notre Dame’s lead is now three. Vanderbilt keeps hanging around but can’t take the lead 54-51
End of 3rd Quarter Notre Dame 50, Vanderbilt 44
Vanderbilt closes the gap before the end of the quarter, but still no answer to pull back within a score.
3rd Quarter 2:42
Both teams are trading buckets with Notre Dame up by 48-40. Hannah Hidalgo leading the Irish with 23 points.
Hannah is a FORCE 💪
📺 ESPN#MarchMadness x @ndwbbpic.twitter.com/MdOl8UN273
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 27, 2026
3rd Quarter 4:43
Vanderbilt tries to carve away at Notre Dame’s lead 43-36 Irish up
3rd Quarter 7:41
Notre Dame comes out of halftime setting the pace with a 35-31 lead
Halftime
Notre Dame 31, Vanderbilt 26
Hannah Hidalgo: 16 points, 7 steals, 4 rebounds
Mikayla Blakes: 10 points, 5 rebounds
.@aubtheballer1 ended the first half with the HOT HANDS 🌡️#MarchMadness x 🎥 ESPN / @VandyWBBpic.twitter.com/a2R1STv6yC
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 27, 2026
2nd Quarter 1:46
Vanerbilt goes on an 11-2 run to pull within two 27-25 before halftime.
It looks like @aubtheballer1 got some tricks up her sleeve 🤭👀#MarchMadness x 🎥 ESPN / @VandyWBBpic.twitter.com/DYvCkE61PM
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 27, 2026
2nd Quarter 3:47
Vanderbilt stops the bleeding from the free throw line. Mikayla Blakes knocks down a pair. She only have one FG in the game (1-11). 25-17 Irish up.
2nd Quarter 5:19
Vanderbilt down 25-13 with Hannah Hidalgo having a monster game thus far. 12 points, 7 steals, 3 rebounds in 15 mins. She already set the NCAA record for steals in a season.
SETTING RECORDS, ONE STEAL AT A TIME 🤩@HannahHidalgo reaches 193 steals to claim the NCAA DI Single Season Steal Record.#NCAAWBB x @ndwbbpic.twitter.com/s0JuClDwnj
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 27, 2026
2nd Quarter 7:34
Hannah Hidalgo with back-to-back steals. The first resulting in a breakaway layup.
Another steal‼️ @HannahHidalgo is out here robbing left and right 😮💨#MarchMadness x 🎥 ESPN / @ndwbbpic.twitter.com/n6er1gbx7r
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 27, 2026
2nd Quarter 7:45
Vanderbilt timeout after two quick buckets by Notre Dame. The lead is now 19-11 for the Irish.
End of the 1st Quarter
Notre Dame 15, Vanderbilt 11
1st Quarter 0:41
Hannah Hidalgo has four steals and it feels like more
1st Quarter 2:02
Vanderbilt has more turnovers than points right now Notre Dame on a 9-0 run. 13-7 Irish up
Going all the way 😤 @HannahHidalgo#MarchMadness x 🎥 ESPN / @ndwbbpic.twitter.com/xAI3BtZ2iy
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 27, 2026
1st Quarter 7:21
The defense for both team is strong in the early going. Mikayla Blakes’ heads up play has Vanderbilt up 5-2
Skylar Diggins is at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth to support her alma mater Notre Dame women’s basketball, as the 6 seed Irish play 2 seed Vanderbilt in the Sweet Sixteen.
Diggins won three Sweet Sixteens in her four years with Notre Dame. pic.twitter.com/LBwR6WoCfe
— Kyle Smedley (@KyleMSmedley) March 27, 2026
Starters for Notre Dame and Vanderbilt
ND
Vanessa de Jesus
Hannah Hidalgo
Malaya Cowles
Cassandre Prosper
Iyana Moore
Vandy
Mikayla Blakes
Aubrey Galvan
Justine Pissott
Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda
Sacha Washington
Who has the best chance to pull off an upset in the women’s Sweet 16?
ESPN’s BPI says it’s Hannah Hidalgo and 6-seed Notre Dame over 2-seed Vanderbilt 👀 pic.twitter.com/9Qk18kUUlz
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) March 26, 2026
The Irish average over 13 steals per game, and Hidalgo gets nearly half of those at 5.6 per game. Keep in mind, points off turnovers is what Notre Dame thrives on. Hannah Hidalgo leads the country in steals, and if she flips the court with ease, this could be a long outing for the Commodores.
Vanderbilt will need to make Hidalgo a non-factor, which is easier said than done. Being able to cut her off from working in the offense is the Commodores’ best bet. This is going to be a battle of the guards right from the start. Outside of Blakes, Aubrey Galvan has averaged 14.5 points in the tournament so far. This will have to continue for the Irish to be sent home.
What channel is Notre Dame vs. Vanderbilt on today?
Notre Dame vs. Vanderbilt How to Watch
Date: Friday, March 27
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Dickies Arena- Fort Worth, texas
TV: ESPN (Available on FuboTV)
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