UK To Open New Brooklyn Arena?

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Next fall, the New Jersey Nets will complete their move to Brooklyn where they’ll begin play in the new $1 billion Barclays Center.  Scheduled for a September 2012 opening, the new arena’s first basketball game might actually feature a team from the SEC.

According to Crain’s New York Business report: “A major highlight will be the site’s first basketball game, a college matchup of Kentucky versus Maryland, according to sources.”

For more than a year, John Calipari has voiced his desire to coach in the new arena.  On March 13 of 2010, UK’s coach was quoted in a press release announcing IMG’s play to bring college basketball to Brooklyn:

“Basketball is really the heart of Brooklyn, and there is no place that has developed more all-time great players than the borough.  There’s not question about it.  We want to play there first.”

Sounds like he’s going to get his chance.