"This is ridiculous": College hoops fans fume as Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo leaves mid-game to remove her nose ring

Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo grabbed headlines on Friday when she had to briefly leave her team's Sweet 16 game against Oregon State to get her nose ring removed.

College hoops fans didn't seem to take the decision well, and some lashed out at the rule on social media.

"Has this been a rule all season that is just being enforced now?!? This is ridiculous." one wrote on X.

"That must have been frustrating for Hannah Hidalgo to miss game action because she had to remove her nose ring." added another.

"Too bad she had to sit on the bench in the biggest game of the year to get the jewelry removed." a third commented.

"This some bs right here, they gonna pull that rule out mid game after she been wearing that all year" a fourth wrote.

Here are a few more fan reactions:

Hidalgo made her first foul with .8 seconds to go in the first quarter. However, she had to remain on the bench for a few more minutes in the second quarter to remove her nose ring.

She eventually got back onto the court later in the second quarter, after some of the Notre Dame staff helped her remove the nose ring. However, the decision to remove Hidalgo from the game left many puzzled.

A look at Hannah Hidalgo's stats this season

Hidalgo is having a stellar freshman season with the No. 2-seeded Notre Dame (28-6). The guard finished the regular season by averaging 22.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game.

Hidalgo's performances helped the Fighting Irish finish with a 23-6 overall record (13-5 in the conference). She also played a key role in helping Notre Dame win the conference championship.

Before Notre Dame's clash against Oregon State in the Sweet 16, Hidalgo played two postseason games and averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 assists and three rebounds per game.