Notre Dame completes late rally against Villanova in Rome

Notre Dame defeated Villanova 74-72 on Sunday in Rome, securing a win in the college basketball season opener after trailing for the majority of the second half. The Fighting Irish overcame the deficit with a late scoring push led by Brady Koehler.

Koehler and Braeden Smith each finished with 16 points for Notre Dame. The team enters this season with 10 new players. In the final minute, Koehler executed a dunk that reduced Villanova's lead to one point with 1 minute and 36 seconds on the clock.

Logan Duncomb then drained a 3-pointer with 1 minute and 8 seconds remaining to put Notre Dame ahead 70-68. That basket marked the Fighting Irish's first lead in the second half. Koehler followed with two free throws with 4 seconds left, extending the margin to 74-70.

Villanova's Tyler Perkins was fouled out with 16.3 seconds remaining. He led the Wildcats with 18 points. The loss caps a difficult stretch for the program, which has not won an NCAA Tournament game in four years. That period includes a three-year absence following the retirement of coach Jay Wright and a first-round loss to Utah State last season.

The game was part of the Eternal City Tip-Off, a doubleheader event held at the 11,000-seat Palazzo dello Sport. The venue is located about a half-hour drive from the Vatican. Pope Leo XIV, a Villanova alumnus, met with players and fans from both teams on Saturday prior to the games.

Luigi Suigo, a 7-foot-3 Italian, made his debut for Villanova on home soil. He recorded seven points, including two dunks and a 3-pointer. The arena announcer chanted "Su-su-su Suigo" during his scoring runs. Villanova supporters outnumbered Notre Dame fans in the stands.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the No. 13 Notre Dame women's team beat Villanova 99-75. Hannah Hidalgo led the Irish with 32 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and three steals. Both men's teams are unranked in the preseason AP Top 25.