Notre Dame rallied late to defeat Villanova 74-72 in the men's college basketball season opener in Rome on Sunday, November 1. Brady Koehler delivered crucial points in the closing stages as the Fighting Irish recovered after spending most of the second half behind the Wildcats.
Koehler finished with 16 points, sharing Notre Dame's scoring lead with Braeden Smith on a roster featuring 10 new players. Tyler Perkins paced Villanova with 18 points before fouling out with 16.3 seconds remaining. Neither team entered the season ranked in the preseason AP Top 25.
The decisive stretch began with Koehler's dunk cutting the Wildcats' advantage to a single point with 1:36 left. Logan Duncomb then connected from 3-point range with 1:08 remaining, putting Notre Dame ahead 70-68 for its first lead of the second half. With four seconds on the clock, Koehler made two free throws to extend the lead to 74-70 and effectively secure the victory.
The matchup was part of the Eternal City Tip-Off, which also brought both teams and their fans together for an audience Saturday with Pope Leo XIV, a Villanova alumnus. The two Catholic universities played their nonconference game at the 11,000-seat Palazzo dello Sport, roughly a half-hour drive from the Vatican. A women's game between the schools was also part of the doubleheader.
Villanova supporters substantially outnumbered Notre Dame fans in the arena. Fighting Irish coach Micah Shrewsberry said playing two preseason road games had helped prepare his team for the noise from the Wildcats' following. He also placed the trip among the most memorable experiences of his career.
For Villanova, the defeat opened another season in its effort to regain success after four years without an NCAA tournament victory. The Wildcats missed the tournament for three consecutive years following Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright's sudden retirement, then lost to Utah State in the first round last season. Coach Kevin Willard described the Rome trip as a once-in-a-lifetime experience despite the loss and expressed gratitude for the meeting with the pope.
Italian center Luigi Suigo made his Villanova debut in his home country. The 7-foot-3 newcomer scored seven points, including two dunks and a 3-pointer, with the arena announcer drawing out his name after he scored.
Notre Dame returns for its home opener against Mercyhurst on Thursday. Villanova will host Holy Cross on Friday before facing La Salle four days later. All three upcoming opponents are also Catholic schools.
