ROME — The Eternal City Tip-Off brings college basketball to Rome on Sunday as the Villanova and Notre Dame men’s and women’s teams meet in a season-opening doubleheader following a papal audience.
The matchup features both programs’ men’s and women’s squads in back-to-back games, marking a unique international start to the season for the Catholic universities.
The event, called the Eternal City Tip-Off, was organized to honor the first American pope.
Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV welcomed all four teams at the Vatican on Saturday. The pontiff told the student-athletes from his alma mater, Villanova, and fellow Catholic university Notre Dame that when it comes to sports, he remains neutral.
He added with a smile that his former self, Robert Prevost, might feel differently, drawing laughs and cheers from a crowd of about 7,000 players, coaches, fans and family members gathered in the audience hall.
Sunday’s games are set for the 11,000-seat Palazzo dello Sport, roughly a 30-minute drive from the Vatican, according to organizers.
Pope Leo XIV, who underwent lung cancer surgery last month, was not expected to attend, though cardinals and other Vatican officials were anticipated at the arena.
Both schools also traveled with their team chaplains for the Rome trip.
The men’s game tips at 3:30 p.m. local time, 9:30 a.m. Eastern, with Fox carrying the broadcast and Bill Raftery on analysis. The women’s game follows at 6 p.m., noon Eastern, on FS1, featuring the day’s only ranked team, No. 13 Notre Dame.
Eternal City Tip-Off schedule and broadcast
- Men: 3:30 p.m. local, 9:30 a.m. ET on Fox, analyst Bill Raftery
- Women: 6 p.m. local, noon ET on FS1, No. 13 Notre Dame featured
One Response