Villanova, Notre Dame teams tip off in Rome after Vatican audience
Pope Leo XIV greeted 7,000 attendees at the Vatican before the doubleheader opens the season at Palazzo dello Sport.
By Ivan Dvorak ·
The Villanova and Notre Dame men’s and women’s basketball teams are opening the college basketball season in Rome.
The four squads met for a doubleheader on Sunday, an event named the Eternal City Tip-Off to honor the first American pope.
Pope Leo XIV, a Villanova graduate, received all four teams in a Vatican audience on Saturday. The gathering drew 7,000 people, including players, coaches, fans, and family members.
Leo told the groups that the pontiff remains neutral in matters of sport. He added that his former self, Robert Prevost, might hold a different view, a remark that drew laughter from the crowd.
The games are being played at the Palazzo dello Sport, an 11,000-seat arena located about a half-hour drive from the Vatican.
Leo underwent lung cancer surgery last month and was not expected to attend the games. A group of cardinals and other Vatican officials was expected at the arena instead. The schools also brought their team chaplains to Rome.
The men’s game started at 3:30 p.m. local time, broadcast on Fox with Bill Raftery as the analyst. The women’s game, featuring No. 13 Notre Dame, started at 6 p.m. local time on FS1.
