Notre Dame Defeats Villanova to Open Season
The Irish closed out a close game to start their campaign, while High Point and Queens showed depth in early Monday results.
By Harper Collins ·
The 2026-27 college basketball season began with a win for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Sunday.
The Irish defeated Villanova in Rome to claim the first victory of the year. The team shot 38% from beyond the arc, and four players scored in double figures. The margin of victory was decided in the final minutes, as Notre Dame overcame a six-point deficit to take the lead and hold it for the last two minutes of play.
Micah Shrewsberry, the fourth-year head coach, led the team to this start. He had previously noted during ACC media day that he had reached a new perspective on enjoying his time at the school while coaching his son, Braeden. Shrewsberry entered the season on the hot seat after a 13-win campaign and a third consecutive year without an NCAA tournament appearance. His staff reported that the team displayed more rhythm and cohesiveness than in previous seasons under his tenure.
High Point University also opened its season with a decisive result on Monday. The Panthers beat Liberty 72-57. This team previously won 31 games and defeated Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA tournament last season. Although they lost star guard Rob Martin in the offseason, the roster retained depth. Cam'Ron Fletcher, the 2026 Big South Preseason Player of the Year, recorded eight points and seven rebounds. He was joined by strong performances from South Florida transfer CJ Brown, Tulane transfer Curtis Williams Jr., freshman Trey Pearson, and returnee Conrad Martinez. The win occurred without Monmouth transfer Jason Rivera-Torres, a preseason All-Big South selection.
Ryan Miller's team also secured a 30-point victory over Tennessee State. Star sophomore Roman Domon finished with 22 points and five rebounds. Miller kept Domon out of the transfer portal during the offseason. The squad also features France native Talis Soulhac and Auburn transfer Kaden Magwood. The international group includes Pavle Nikolic and Mark Padjen, who are adjusting to NCAA competition.
Queens University won 103-98 against Winthrop in another Monday night game. Jordan Watford, a 6-foot-5 point guard, led the Royals with 26 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists. The team retained three double-figure scorers from the previous year: Nasir Mann, Avantae Parker, and Watford. Watford had 19 points and six assists in the 2026 Atlantic Sun championship game. The Royals are known for pushing the pace and shooting at a high rate from three-point range.
Jeff Borzello, Myron Medcalf, and Joe Lunardi of ESPN are monitoring these early results for the season. They are tracking the performances of these programs as the full opening-day schedule concludes. The focus remains on the retention of key players and the depth of rosters in mid-major conferences.
