Villanova, Notre Dame to open season in Rome after Vatican audience
Pope Leo XIV met with the four teams before the doubleheader scheduled for Sunday at the Palazzo dello Sport.
By Sofia Wisniewski ·
Villanova and Notre Dame will open the college basketball season with a doubleheader in Rome on Sunday.
The event, named the Eternal City Tip-Off, is designed to honor the first American pope. Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV received all four men’s and women’s teams in a Vatican audience on Saturday. The gathering included approximately 7,000 players, coaches, fans, and family members in the audience hall.
The pope, who was born Robert Prevost and attended Villanova, told the athletes that he remains neutral in matters of sport. He added that his former self might hold a different view. “Prevost has another opinion, but we won’t do that now,” he said, prompting laughter from the crowd.
Leo underwent lung cancer surgery last month. He is not expected to attend the games, but a group of cardinals and other Vatican officials is scheduled to be present. The schools also brought their team chaplains to the city.
The games will be played at the 11,000-seat Palazzo dello Sport, located about a 30-minute drive from the Vatican. The men’s game begins at 3:30 p.m. local time, or 9:30 a.m. ET, and will air on Fox with Bill Raftery as the analyst. The women’s game starts at 6 p.m. local time, or noon ET, on FS1. Notre Dame is the only ranked team in the event, holding the No. 13 position.
Source: La Voz de Houston
