The Fighting Irish and Wildcats kicked off the 2026-27 college basketball season at the Eternal City Tip-Off in Rome.
Notre Dame opened its season with a comeback win over Villanova at the Eternal City Tip-Off, played at the Palazzo dello Sport in Rome. The doubleheader marked the start of both the men's and women's 2026-27 campaigns for the two programs, staged halfway around the world from either campus.
Both teams arrived with plenty to prove after rough finishes last season. Villanova's year ended with an 86-76 first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Utah State, while Notre Dame closed out with a 77-69 loss at Boston College and a 16th-place finish in the ACC. Tyler Perkins returns for the Wildcats as their lone holdover from last year's top five scorers, having led the team at 13.7 points per game. Notre Dame, meanwhile, carries the burden of having posted the worst defensive rating in the ACC a season ago at 112.9.
None of that history mattered much once the ball went up in Rome, where Notre Dame found a way to rally and spoil Villanova's opener. It is an early measuring stick for two programs looking to rebuild momentum in a long season ahead.