The Villanova Wildcats and Notre Dame Fighting Irish will open the 2026-27 college basketball season on Sunday, Nov. 1, in Rome, Italy, as part of the Eternal City Tip-Off at the Palazzo dello Sport. The NCAA granted a waiver allowing the game to be played a day before the official season start date of Monday, Nov. 2. The event honors Pope Leo XIV, a 1977 Villanova graduate, and coincides with All Saints' Day. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET.
Betting Odds
Villanova enters as a 7.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the money line set at Villanova -305 and Notre Dame +245. The over/under for total points is 147.5, with the over at -108 and the under at -112.
Villanova Preview
The Wildcats finished 24-8 last season (15-5 Big East) in Kevin Willard's first year after Jay Wright's retirement, reaching the NCAA Tournament before losing to Utah State 86-76 in the first round. Villanova also fell to Georgetown 74-68 in the Big East championship game. The roster has undergone significant turnover, with four of the top five scorers from 2025-26 departed, including Duke Brennan and Bryce Lindsay. Returning guard Tyler Perkins, the Big East Most Improved Player, led the team with 13.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Willard will also rely on 7-foot-3 Italian center Luigi Suigo, who averaged 7.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 18 minutes per game in Serbia last season and is projected as an NBA lottery pick. Key transfers include Devin Royal (13.7 points, 5.7 rebounds at Ohio State), Jake Fiegen (17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds at Cornell), and Elijah Crawford (14.1 points, 4.9 assists at Illinois-Chicago). Villanova averaged 77.1 points (fifth in Big East) and 34.2 rebounds (ninth) last season.
Notre Dame Preview
The Fighting Irish went 13-18 overall and 4-14 in the ACC last season under coach Micah Shrewsberry, who is 41-56 in three seasons. Notre Dame lost leading scorers Markus Burton (Indiana) and Jalen Haralson (Tennessee), accounting for nearly 35 points per game. Shrewsberry rebuilt through the transfer portal, adding former Penn sharpshooter Ethan Roberts (16.9 points, 40.4% from three-point range), his son Braeden Shrewsberry (11.9 points, 40.2% from three), veteran point guard Braeden Smith (5.1 points, 3.6 assists at Gonzaga, 2023-24 Patriot League Player of the Year at Colgate), reigning Big South Player of the Year Logan Duncomb (18.3 points at Winthrop), and 6-foot-9 Bryce Dortch (Rutgers). Notre Dame averaged 74.5 points (14th in ACC) and 36.6 rebounds (eighth) last season.
Prediction
Despite both rosters being heavily revamped, Villanova is viewed as the superior side. Suigo's size presents a matchup advantage the Irish may struggle to contain, and the travel, novelty of the Rome setting, and weekend activities could make the game an afterthought for Notre Dame's shooters early on. The pick is Villanova -7.5, with an expectation of a lower-scoring contest.
