By Salma El-Sakka
Notre Dame completed a sweep of Villanova in a college basketball doubleheader in Rome on Sunday, winning both the men's and women's games at the Eternal City Tip-Off event honoring Pope Leo XIV.
Men's game comeback
The Fighting Irish men rallied for a 74-72 victory in the season opener, overcoming a vocal Villanova crowd at the 11,000-seat Palazzo dello Sport.
Women's dominant win
Hannah Hidalgo led the 13th-ranked Notre Dame women to a 99-75 win, securing the sweep against the Wildcats.
Papal audience at Vatican
Pope Leo XIV, a 1977 Villanova graduate, hosted all four teams at the Vatican on Saturday. He told the audience of 7,000 that while his papal role requires neutrality in sports, his former self as Robert Prevost might disagree. The pope did not attend the games.
Event atmosphere
Villanova fans wore jerseys bearing "Pope Leo" and "XIV," and displayed a banner depicting the pope in a Wildcats jersey. The games were played on All Saints' Day, beginning with a moment of prayer and the U.S. and Italian national anthems. Cardinal Peter Turkson and Sister Raffaella Petrini were among the dignitaries present.
