“It’s history. You love being part of history,” said Coyle, who took over as head coach during the 2004 season. “In my career, this is the second time with the Liberty we’re going to be part of history. ... Radio City was weird because there was nobody behind you and the noise came at you. ... Here, it’ll be interesting.”

The game was scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start in hopes of avoiding the summer sun and heat, though the gametime temperature is expected to be around 88 degrees.

Although there is no forecast for rain, a makeup date is scheduled for Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

The capacity at Arthur Ashe Stadium is 23,226, and the Liberty had sold 17,963 tickets as of Thursday night, with the remaining tickets available Saturday.

“Our diehards are going to be here, but I think people are going to want to come out because of its bigness,” Blazejowski said, “because of its significance with Arthur Ashe and Billie Jean King. .. I think people will come out because it’s one of the big events of the summer.”

The Liberty’s attendance record at the Garden is 19,563, achieved three times — the last in a game against Charlotte on Aug. 11, 2002.

The NBA’s Phoenix Suns defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in an outdoor preseason game on Sept. 24, 1972, at a baseball stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Suns are set to face the Denver Nuggets in another outdoor preseason game at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif., on Oct. 11.

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Lm Otero / AP file

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