Barclays Center to Open 2013-14 College Basketball Season with Maryland vs. Connecticut

BROOKLYN (April 2, 2013) – Barclays Center will open its 2013-14 men’s college basketball season when Maryland tips off against Connecticut on Friday, November 8. Last month, Barclays Center announced a multi-year agreement with Maryland to host its men’s basketball team.

With an overall record of 25-12 this season, the Terrapins face Iowa in the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament tonight. This season, Maryland, who has won its most games since the 2006-07 season, has had three victories against ranked teams, including two versus Duke and one over North Carolina State.

All five Maryland starters are anticipated to return next season and eight of 10 players in the rotation are expected to be back.

In Coach Kevin Ollie’s first year, Connecticut finished this season 20-10, including victories against nationally-ranked Syracuse, Michigan State, and Notre Dame. The Huskies are expected to return next season with their top six scorers and top five rebounders, including All-Big East first team selection Shabazz Napier.

UConn and Maryland have played a total of five times, with UConn holding a 3-2 edge. Their most recent game against each other took place on March 24, 2002 at the NCAA East Regional Finals, which Maryland won 90-82.

“We're looking forward to returning to Barclays Center to play a quality opponent in Connecticut,” said Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon. “This will be a great experience for our players and fans.”

“It was a great experience to play at a first-class facility like Barclays Center last season,” said Maryland Director of Athletics Kevin Anderson. “We’re looking forward to returning and taking on a great opponent in front of an energetic and enthusiastic crowd.”

“We are looking forward to opening our 2013-14 basketball season in such a wonderful way, playing a great program like Maryland in a beautiful facility like Barclays Center,” UConn Coach Kevin Ollie said. “I know all our student-athletes, but especially the ones from the New York City area, are very excited about the opportunity.”

“We couldn’t be more pleased to open our basketball season at Barclays Center against Maryland,” UConn Athletic Director Warde Manuel said. “We have a large and passionate fan base in and around New York City that has demonstrated a consistently high level of support to our men’s basketball team. We look forward to this opportunity to play against one of the top programs in the nation at a world-class facility, while showcasing our team and the passion of Husky Nation.”

Tickets for Maryland vs. Connecticut will go on sale soon and will be available through Ticketmaster by visiting www.barclayscenter.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets will also be available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center, or through group sales 800-GROUP-BK.
Brooklyn Nets All Access season ticket buyers have the opportunity to purchase tickets for Barclays Center events before the general public. For more information, visit www.barclayscenter.com and follow @BarclaysCenter on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates and special pre-sale offers.

The 2013-14 college basketball season at Barclays Center will also include a dynamic match-up when Kentucky faces Providence on Dec. 1. The extensive college basketball lineup continues with St. John’s, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, and Penn State participating in the 2nd annual Barclays Center Classic men’s basketball tournament on Nov. 29 and 30. Occurring on the same days will be the inaugural Barclays Center Women’s Invitational tournament, featuring Rutgers, Texas Tech, Michigan, and LSU. BROOKLYN HOOPS™ , Barclays Center’s college basketball program, is presented by Ticketmaster.

For the second consecutive year, Barclays Center will host the BROOKLYN HOOPS™ Winter Festival presented by Honda and the BROOKLYN HOOPS™ Holiday Invitational (dates to be determined), along with Coaches vs. Cancer (Nov. 22-23) and Legends Classic. (Nov. 25-26). The teams for all four events will be announced soon.

The always competitive Atlantic 10 Tournament will return to Barclays Center from March 13-16, 2014. Additionally, LIU Brooklyn, this season’s Northeast Conference Tournament champion, will continue to play multiple games at Barclays Center next season.

The Barclays Center college basketball franchise BROOKLYN HOOPS™ presented by Ticketmaster is proud to partner with Applebee’s, GEICO, Honda, High Point Solutions, McDonald’s, Modell’s, and Powerade.