The Las Vegas Aces and Dallas Wings faced off in a WNBA preseason game held on the campus of Notre Dame, drawing attention from former players Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles. Their presence sparked what appeared to be a tense exchange.
While the Notre Dame women’s basketball team started the year strong, they faded later in the season, ultimately earning a No. 3 seed before being knocked out of the NCAA Tournament. Hidalgo will remain at Notre Dame for another season, whereas Miles has entered the transfer portal and opted to join the TCU women’s basketball program.
The interaction between Hidalgo and Miles occurred near the tunnel and was visible to fans, leading to several spectators capturing the moment. Fans of women’s basketball expressed various opinions on the incident, so let’s take a look at some of the reactions.
“I wonder who will try to downplay this interaction and claim it was nothing,” speculated u/cowsgomoo1020 on r/NCAAW.
“Olivia stepping back as Hannah moved closer 😭. Body language speaks volumes,” noted @jujubballin_.
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“Hannah halted in her tracks when she spotted Olivia…and notice that Olivia initially acted as if she didn’t see her. There was nothing pleasant about this exchange,” commented @realeyezone.
“No way Hannah Hidalgo confronted Olivia Miles in broad daylight like that. They misled us 😭 this doesn’t seem like the transfer decision was unrelated to their dynamic. This could spark a rivalry that lasts for years,” asserted @GuruLakers.
“Clearly, there were underlying issues within this past year’s Notre Dame team. They were impressive for much of the season until that late downturn. It likely wasn’t the sole factor, but conflicts between your top two players can derail everything. It appears Miles’ decision to transfer was significantly influenced by her relationship with Hidalgo, and this situation seems to affirm that,” remarked u/CRoseCrizzle on r/NCAAW.
With both players now embarking on separate paths, they will aim to lead their respective teams to success next season. It seems there may have been strain in the relationship between Hidalgo and Miles toward the end, and it will be intriguing to see if Notre Dame and TCU cross paths in the upcoming season.
Image Source: Olivia Miles @ Instagram
