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John Calipari, Kentucky schedule matchup with Baylor in Dallas, series renewal with UNC

Kentucky Basketball News Conference

LEXINGTON, KY - APRIL 17: John Calipari the head coach of the kentucky Wildcates talks with the media during the news conference at Joe Craft Center on April 17, 2012 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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Kentucky head coach John Calipari, via his website yesterday, provided an overview of some scheduling highlights that are to come over the next few seasons.

Among the notable games are a renewal of Kentucky’s decade-long series with North Carolina, as well as a marquee game between the Wildcats and Baylor at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

“When we schedule, I want to create experiences, not just games,” Calipari said in the statement. “The thing about Kentucky basketball is it’s passed down from father to son. I want to schedule events that grandfathers and grandsons will be talking about 25 years from now.”

The event at Cowboys Stadium would be a doubleheader, featuring the two women’s teams in the first game, and would be expected to break the NCAA attendance record.

Calipari called the game an “Only at Kentucky” moment, and tickets sales from the event would be split evenly between the two schools.

“It’s an opportunity for both of our programs to do something that has never been done before – TO CREATE EXPERIENCES for our players and fans,” he wrote.

As for the matchup with North Carolina, Kentucky and UNC will not be playing in 2012-13, but will resume the series in 2013-14.

The most interesting point that Calipari made, though, was about scheduling in reference to venues. He pointed out the need to schedule at least one, if not two games per year in football stadiums, in an effort to prepare his teams for the NCAA tournament, where the later rounds are typically played in these larger venues.

“Not every program can play a regular-season game in a stadium like we can,” Calipari said. “The NCAA tournament plays half its regional games and the entire Final Four in those venues. Who do you think will be in those domes and stadiums? It will be us.”

Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_