St John’s to play St. Francis in Brooklyn Hoops™ Winter Festival at Barclays Center on December 15

BROOKLYN – St. John’s University has joined a strong field of NCAA men’s college basketball teams that will play in the BROOKLYN HOOPS™ Winter Festival at Barclays Center on Saturday, December 15.

St. John’s will face St. Francis of Brooklyn as part of the tripleheader, which will also feature Michigan vs. West Virginia and Fordham vs. Princeton.

The game in Brooklyn marks the return of St. John’s to the school’s original borough. The first wing of St. John’s College opened in 1870 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, where the main campus remained until the 1950’s when the school relocated to its current campus in Queens.

St. Francis is St. John’s ninth most-frequently played opponent in STJ’s 104 years on the hardwood. The Red Storm lead the Terriers in the all-time series, 63-12, headed into the 76th matchup between the two schools.

“To play a local school like St. Francis at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn is a natural fit,” said St. John’s head coach Steve Lavin. “Some of St. John’s most-prolific players and loyal fans throughout our storied history have roots that trace back to the borough of Brooklyn. This game and new venue presents a nice way to pay homage to that dimension of our legacy.”

“Brooklyn finally has a great arena to call its own and we anticipate Barclays Center will boost excitement in local college basketball,” said St. Francis head coach Glenn Braica. “Our program now has a chance to compete in a world-class arena and host national and local teams just a short walk from our school. Barclays Center will lead to many memorable moments and thrilling college basketball in the coming years.”

“We are excited to bring such a renowned New York program as St. John’s to Barclays Center, which is quickly emerging as the home of major college basketball on the East Coast,” Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark said. “The BROOKLYN HOOPS™ Winter Festival will provide the schools with a brand new state-of-the-art venue that is specifically built for basketball. As our college hoops schedule continues to grow with teams such as NCAA Tournament champion Kentucky, Maryland, Indiana, Notre Dame, Georgetown, UCLA, LIU, Fordham, St. John’s and St. Francis, not to mention the Atlantic 10 Tournament, we’re proud to deliver perennially powerful programs and rising local schools to Brooklyn.”
Tickets for the BROOKLYN HOOPS™ Winter Festival are currently on sale and can be purchased through Ticketmaster by visiting www.barclayscenter.com or www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

Brooklyn Nets All Access season ticket buyers have the opportunity to purchase tickets for Barclays Center events before the general public. Fans are encouraged to visit www.barclayscenter.com and follow @BarclaysCenter on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates and special pre-sale offers.

Major college basketball events confirmed for the 2012-13 season at Barclays Center include the Barclays Center Classic featuring NCAA Basketball Champion Kentucky vs. Maryland, presented by Sheets™ Brand Energy Strips; the Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Championship; Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, one of the premier early-season college basketball showcase events; the Legends Classic, the BROOKLYN HOOPS™ Holiday Invitational, and the BROOKLYN HOOPS™ Winter Festival.