<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/thedialog.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/28100012\/20261027T1710-ETERNAL-CITY-TIPOFF-GAME-PREVIEW-1828998.jpg\" "\\"NOTRE")
<\/a><\/p>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\nFor Catholic basketball fans, an upcoming contest between the University of Notre Dame and Villanova University in the Eternal City might present something of a spiritual dilemma.<\/p>\n
When Notre Dame, arguably the most recognizable Catholic university in the U.S., faces Villanova, the alma mater of Pope Leo XIV,<\/a> exactly whom are the faithful supposed to root for?<\/p>\n The Fighting Irish, with their storied Catholic tradition? Or the Wildcats, whose most famous graduate happens to lead the world\u2019s 1.4 billion Catholics?<\/p>\n Fortunately, choosing sides won\u2019t require a trip to the confessional.<\/p>\n On Nov. 1, the two Catholic universities will make history when their men\u2019s and women\u2019s basketball teams meet in the Eternal City Tip-Off at the Palazzo dello Sport in Rome.<\/a><\/p>\n The men\u2019s game begins at 9:30 a.m. Eastern on FOX, followed by the women\u2019s contest at 12 p.m. Eastern on FS1. The NCAA granted a special waiver allowing the teams to begin their seasons one day before the official opening of college basketball.<\/p>\n Inspired by the election of Pope Leo, the first American-born pontiff and a 1977 Villanova graduate with a mathematics degree, the event promises an unusual combination of basketball, Catholic identity and international fellowship.<\/p>\n Notre Dame fifth-year senior Ethan Roberts told OSV News the circumstances almost defy explanation.<\/p>\n \u201cThis opportunity feels like divine intervention for myself and my teammates,\u201d said Roberts.<\/p>\n After all, Roberts never imagined an American pope would be elected during his time at Notre Dame, much less that he would travel to Rome to play against the pontiff\u2019s alma mater.<\/p>\n \u201cJust saying that sentence to yourself is like insane to hear out loud,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Roberts, a proud Catholic whose confirmation saint is St. Peter, is particularly excited about visiting the Vatican.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I\u2019m so excited just to go to St. Peter\u2019s Basilica, see the Vatican, and see our history as a religion,\u201d said Roberts, a guard for the Fighting Irish.<\/p>\n That combination is equally meaningful to Kelsey Joens, senior guard on the Villanova women\u2019s team, who grew up in a Catholic household.<\/p>\n \u201cMy faith has always been an important part of my life,\u201d Joens told OSV News. \u201cHaving grown up in a Catholic household, the opportunity to visit a place with so much Catholic history makes this trip even more special.\u201d<\/p>\n For Joens, basketball has opened a door she never imagined walking through.<\/p>\n \u201cNever would have imagined that basketball would give me an opportunity like this,\u201d she said. \u201cTo play in Rome, and potentially play in front of the pope, is something you don\u2019t even think about when you first start playing basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n The occasion carries particular significance for Villanova, an Augustinian Catholic institution located outside Philadelphia.<\/p>\n Pope Leo\u2019s election in May 2025 brought extraordinary attention to Villanova, whose Augustinian heritage now includes a direct connection to the papacy.<\/p>\n But Notre Dame, founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross in Indiana, brings its own rich Catholic history and national following to Rome.<\/p>\n The result is an unusual matchup between institutions that share a religious foundation but have different traditions and identities.<\/p>\n Beyond the basketball games, the visit includes a private Mass at St. Peter\u2019s Basilica on Oct. 31, scheduled to be celebrated by Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. P\u00e9rez. An audience with Pope Leo is also planned, subject to the pontiff\u2019s availability.<\/p>\n Villanova junior guard Dani Ceseretti told OSV News that she views the experience as an extension of the community that has helped shape her college career.<\/p>\n \u201cI really appreciate how much Villanova emphasizes community, being there for one another, and being part of something bigger than yourself,\u201d said Ceseretti. \u201cThose values definitely carry over to our basketball team as well. Playing in Rome with the possibility of the Pope watching is definitely not something I ever imagined.\u201d<\/p>\n Although the surroundings will be extraordinary, all three athletes recognize that the games themselves still matter.<\/p>\n Joens acknowledged that a season opener played thousands of miles from home might produce some additional nervousness, particularly with so much attention surrounding the event.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a lot of Nova fans coming so we\u2019re excited for the great atmosphere of the game,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Roberts, meanwhile, insists he will prepare as he would for any other opponent. He emphasized that Notre Dame\u2019s primary objective remains winning the basketball game.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, he intends to appreciate the extraordinary experience while it lasts.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m gonna make sure I enjoy the moment a little more while I\u2019m in it,\u201d he said, \u201cbecause I know this opportunity probably will never come again.\u201d<\/p>\n For Notre Dame and Villanova, there will be winners and losers on the scoreboard.<\/p>\n But with four teams sharing a unique experience in the heart of the Catholic Church, the more lasting rewards might have little to do with the final scores.<\/p>\n And as for which university Catholics should root for?<\/p>\n Perhaps the safest answer is to cheer for both \u2014 and leave the outcome to the Lord of all hoops.<\/p>\n John Knebels writes for OSV News from suburban Philadelphia.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n