• On November 1, the Villanova Wildcats men’s and women’s teams will open their season against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Rome.
• Pope Leo XIV is a Villanova alumni, which helped inspire the matchup between two Catholic basketball powerhouses facing off in Italy.
• Villanova will hope to start the season strong, continuing last season's momentum, while the Fighting Irish will hope their new group is as dominant as it seems on paper.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish face off against the Villanova Wildcats to kick off the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball regular seasons this Sunday in Rome. They will be the first ever college basketball games played on Italian soil.

The doubleheader between these Catholic universities’ come as part of the Eternal City Tip Off, an event inspired by Villanova alumnus Pope Leo XIV.

Expectations are high for the No. 13 overall Fighting Irish, with Hannah Hidalgo entering her final season of eligibility as one of the biggest stars in college basketball. Head Coach Niele Ivey is not shying away from the standard she has set for her program.

“Our goal is to get to the Final Four,” said Ivey during ACC media day. “They got a taste of it as far as getting to the Elite Eight last season, but our goal is to obviously win the whole thing, but also compete and get better every time we step on that court.”

The unranked Villanova Wildcats face a challenging schedule as they look to solidify their position as top contenders in the Big East, and establish themselves among the top programs in the nation. Head Coach Denise Dillon believes that testing her team early will be crucial in achieving that goal.

“Our-non conference [schedule] this season is extremely challenging, and we know we’re throwing this group right into the fire,” said Dillon during Big East media day. “In order to be a top 25 team, you have to play those top 25 teams.”

Shortly after Pope Leo XIV was elected, FOX Sports Senior Coordinating Producer Steve Scheer pitched the idea to a group of executives to bring the pope’s alma mater to Rome. The idea was received with an immediate yes, said FOX Sports Senior Vice President of College Sports Derek Crocker.

FOX then took the idea to their Big East Partner Villanova and quickly got to work planning the Eternal City Tip Off. Pairing Villanova with another Catholic university in Notre Dame created a unique storyline to open the season with.

“It’s much more than just two schools playing basketball,” says Crocker. “It’s a one-of-a-kind opportunity to bring together not only college basketball, but culture, faith and history.”

The matchups will take place in the historic Palazzo dello Sport. It is the same arena Muhammad Ali, then going by Cassius Clay, won the light heavyweight boxing gold medal in the 1960 Rome Olympics.

Palazzo Dello Sport

With the Eternal City Tip Off and other international events comes the opportunity to grow the sport beyond the US. The women’s teams will tip off in Rome at noon ET, after the men’s match at 9:30 a.m. ET.

“We see the opportunity here to expand the footprint of college sports internationally,” says Crocker. “To really continue driving audiences, you really need to strengthen the global profile and this creates a new entry point for fans to start seeing these amazing college basketball programs internationally.”

Returning Villanova core looks to become perennial Big East contenders

The Wildcats are coming off one of their best seasons in recent years, finishing 16-4 in Big East play and 28-8 overall. In the offseason, they were tasked with replacing five graduating seniors, dealing a blow to their frontcourt while their backcourt remained largely intact.

Sophomore guard Kennedy Henry will play an important role in Villanova’s success in Rome and beyond. She will look to follow-up an impressive freshman season in which she was selected to the All-Big East Freshman Team and All-Big East Defensive Team while breaking Villanova’s single-season steal record (72).

“I think changes in my preparation have been going back to the basics of what I did my freshman year,” says Henry. “Focusing primarily on my defense and then letting everything else flow together.

Star guard Jasmine Bascoe averaged 18.9 points per game last season en route to a unanimous First Team All-Big East for a second consecutive season and returns as the centerpiece of Villanova’s offense.

Other key players that were retained in the offseason include forward Brynn McCurry and guard Kelsey Joens. The seniors provide experience and depth while complementing Bascoe’s high-usage playstyle on offense.

Hannah Hidalgo leads a fresh Irish squad

Hannah Hildago

Coming off a 25-11 campaign that ended in the Elite Eight last season, the Irish enter this season with a new supporting cast surrounding star Hannah Hidalgo. Only three players from last season remain while 10 new players have been added.

“The thought process was to bring in a really big freshman class, a class that we can really grow with and develop with,” said Coach Ivey.

Five-star recruit Jacy Abii headlines that group and could become a major contributor to the Irish offense this season. The versatile 6’2” freshman guard/forward has the size to create matchup challenges for opposing teams. Guard Jenica Lewis is another five-star recruit whose elite perimeter shooting makes her a dangerous offensive weapon.

Lewis scored 21 points with six three-pointers and Abii scored 20 points in Notre Dame’s 125-59 exhibition win against Truman State.

Among the new faces for the Irish is transfer Madison St. Rose. The 5’10” guard averaged 15.8 points at Princeton last season. St. Rose is a proven scorer and her experience will help take some pressure off of Hidalgo.

Cassandre Prosper was one of the team’s biggest losses. Having departed for the WNBA following last season, the Irish lost a key two-way player that provided size, rebounding and defensive versatility.

Other key departures include guards Iyana Moore, Vanessa de Jesus, KK Bransford, and forward Malaya Cowles.

Hidalgo enters her senior year as a top contender for the John R. Wooden award. Last season the Irish star became the first player this century to average 25-5-5-5 in a season in addition to setting the NCAA single-season steals record (202). She will look to continue her dominant run in what could be a career-defining season.

Women’s college basketball gets the spotlight

The Irish and the Wildcats will not be the only women’s basketball programs kicking off their seasons across the world. Oui-Play Paris will be held the following night, featuring South Carolina vs Maryland and North Carolina vs Oklahoma.

These events align with an upward trend of women’s sports gaining national media and broadcast attention. Coach Denise Dillon spoke about the progress she’s seen throughout her career in college basketball as a player and coach.

“I’ve been in this business for a long time… it’s my seventh year [at Villanova] and each and every year, the [media] showing up, the interviews at the game, and [journalists] reaching out to hear more about our teams means a great deal,” says Dillon. “I try and remind the players of how far we’ve come.”

‘A once in a lifetime opportunity’

The Wildcats have a full itinerary once they arrive in Rome, including a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica. Dillon described the opportunity to be in the presence of Pope Leo as a “once in a lifetime opportunity.” She wants her players to feel and embrace that moment, knowing that once they step in between the lines for practice, it’s back to business as usual.

Regardless of which team starts their season with a win, this experience will be one to remember for both programs.

“If you told me 10 years ago that this was going to happen, I wouldn’t believe you,” says Dillon. “I know every one of the players on both teams - this is something that they will talk about 10, 15, 20 years down the road.”