The game clock ticked below 20 seconds. More than 11,000 Louisville fans rose to their feet. It was the final day of the regular season, and the Cardinals, who were trailing Notre Dame 63–62 at home, had a chance to claim a piece of the ACC title with a win. And who better to do it than Tajianna Roberts, their all-conference floor general?

These are the moments players dream of as kids, the ones they practice alone in the driveway.

There’s only one problem with all those reps: They don’t happen with Hannah Hidalgo guarding you. Hidalgo, all 5' 7" of her, is on her way to becoming college basketball’s steals queen. No ball is safe when it’s in her vicinity.

Taylor Ballantyne/Sports Illustrated

With 17 seconds to go and 35 feet to the rim, Roberts took one dribble to her left, planted and spun back right, trying to get even the slightest step on Hidalgo for a drive to the basket. That left the ball exposed for a split second, and doing that with Hidalgo guarding you is a very, very bad idea.…