Hoops with the Pope: Villanova, Notre Dame to open season in Rome, visit Vatican

Villanova and Notre Dame will begin their 2026 basketball seasons in Rome and visit Pope Leo XIV, the schools announced Friday.The games, dubbed the “Eternal City Tip-Off,” will feature the men playing at 9:30 a.m. ET and the women at noon on Nov. 1. The games between the Catholic universities will mark an intersection between global sport and a shared mission in one of the world’s most historic cities, Villanova said in its release.Advertisement