ARLINGTON, Texas - Roll up the turf and lay down the hardwood. Officials with the Dallas Cowboys new stadium announced Thursday the first basketball game to be played in the new venue will be the University of Texas vs. the University of North Carolina on Dec. 19, 2009.

	Date: December 19, 2009
	Time: 1:00 p.m.
	Ticket Prices: Tickets are priced at $30 to $500. There is a $14.25 convenience charge per ticket.
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"The Cowboys want this venue to attract major sporting events and be a showcase for the region," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "It is extraordinary to have the Tar Heels and Longhorns play the first basketball game in the stadium. I believe this college game could start a new tradition and may produce a new rivalry between two superior teams and conferences."

Currently ranked No. 3 in the country under head coach Roy Williams, North Carolina arguably has the most storied history in college basketball and is making its 41st appearance in the NCAA tournament this week, having captured the title four times. Under head coach Rick Barnes since 1998, Texas has won three Big 12 Championships and has advanced to 11 straight NCAA Tournaments, including one Final Four, and was playing an opening round game Thursday night.

"The University of Texas quickly accepted the opportunity to help open the new facility and compete against a team that has such an outstanding tradition - that's North Carolina," Barnes said. "I think we all will benefit when the best of the Big 12 meets the best of the ACC. Clearly, basketball fans understand the value of such a match up."

Texas and North Carolina have only competed against each other four times in basketball, with each team winning twice.

"It should be an excellent experience for our team to play in the new Cowboys stadium," North Carolina head coach Roy Williams said. "We are playing a great program in the University of Texas. It's an honor and privilege to participate in the first series of events at the new stadium. I think we would all like to see this become a new tradition in NCAA basketball."

The court for the game will be placed at the center of the stadium with a temporary floor seating system installed, which is similar to the set up utilized by the NCAA at the Final Four. Capacity and pricing has not yet been determined, however the upper bowl will not be a part of the initial plans for sale. Tickets for the event will go on sale this fall and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. Tip-off time for the game will be announced at a later date.

Other basketball events scheduled to be played at the new stadium are the 2010 NBA All-Star game, the 2014 NCAA Final Four and a 2013 men's basketball regional.