DETROIT -- Michigan State wants to add the college basketball attendance record to the one it already holds for an NCAA hockey game.

The school said Wednesday that it will play Kentucky in a men's basketball game on Dec. 13, 2003, at Ford Field. A news conference to discuss the details of the event will be held Thursday morning at the indoor arena in downtown Detroit where the NFL's Lions play.

The college basketball attendance record of 68,112 was set Jan. 20, 1990, at a game between Louisiana State and Notre Dame at the Superdome in New Orleans. The NBA's attendance record is 62,046 from a Chicago-Atlanta game at the Georgia Dome on March 27, 1998.

Ford Field seats 65,000 in its football configuration, but several thousand more seats could be added around a basketball court on the artificial turf.

At Spartan Stadium, Michigan State played Michigan to a 3-3 tie on Oct. 6, 2001, before 74,554 fans -- the most to ever watch a hockey game.

"This game is sure to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the coaches, players and fans involved,'' Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "Kentucky is the perfect opponent for this game as it is an elite program with a national following. It will be great for Michigan State University, the Spartan basketball program and college basketball to play this game on a national stage. We hope to create a Final Four atmosphere for a regular-season game.''

Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said he's looking forward to the experience.

"I want to tell you how excited and proud we are to be participating in such a spectacular event,'' Smith said. "It will be a fun environment as everybody's eyes around the country will be on Ford Field.''