But then the Miners' full-court pressure kept the Aggies from getting the ball across mid-court for the next two minutes. Texas Western vs. Kentucky: 1966 National Championship | FULL GAME Haskins contends he doesn't recall the incident, but Ray spoke of their Don Haskins portrayed by Josh Lucas, head coach of Texas Western College (now known as University of Texas at El Paso or UTEP), coached a team with an all-black starting lineup, a first in NCAA history. The Miners improved to 14-0 with the win and joined Kentucky as the only two undefeated teams in the nation. and an Hispanic, none of whom played that night -- four graduated. Texas Westerns players came from all over the country to El Paso, Texas. Until that moment, at the height of the civil-rights era, no major-college team had ever started five blacks in an NCAA championship game. Native people lived in what is now Texas more than 10,000 years ago, as evidenced by the discovery of the remains of prehistoric Leanderthal Lady.In 1519, the arrival of the first Spanish conquistadors in the region of North America now known as Texas found the region occupied by numerous Native American tribes. Five minutes into the game, the Miners led 17-4. The movie erroneously paints a picture of a team of new recruits that takes a while to gel during that 1966 season. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. universities. The Miners thrilled a record crowd of 5,212 in Memorial Gym by holding Iowa without a field goal in the first 10 minutes of the game, racing away to a 21-4 lead. On the Miners' second possession, he took a pass from Bobby Joe Hill and, But it was such a surprise because 90 percent of the teams we played had at least one or two African-Americans., About five years ago, Lattin randomly met C.B. 1 ranked Kentucky team 72-65. pic.twitter.com/Lmk67DtL3o. Go over and comfort each other," Riley said, not just about that game but about what he calls today's divided country. Lattin isn'ttalking about a team of white Kentucky players. championship game on. On Saturday night, Dec. 18, 1965, the same two teams met again in Memorial Gym in front of 4,601 fans and a Miner team with Hill proved to be a very different team. The 196566 Texas Western basketball team faced many issues due to racism. "Even coach.". And those letters from the whites in the south, you can just imagine what they said. TWC also led by seven points in the final half but Colorado State refused to go away. In 1966, American cultural and sporting mythology insisted at least one renamed the University of Texas at El Paso. Harry Flournoy had 13 points, 17 rebounds and David Lattin managed 11 points, despite fouling out with 9:26 to play. Bobby Joe Hill scored 20 points and Nevil Shed had 16 in the first half alone as the Miners took a commanding 55-30 lead at the intermission. "Nevil (Shed)I'll never forget him saying back then," Riley said. "They didn't know what to write. Florida State started five Cager is out of his mind. It was a day that would become known as "Bloody Sunday" as white troopers assaulted the Black marchers, beating them with nightsticks, firing tear gas. Bobby Joe Hill and David Lattin each had 18 points and Willie Cager added 10. He was a tough guy, but were all tough. David Lattin led the Miners with 29 points. 1966: AP rates TWC ninth in poll; Miners Defeat Tulsa. white Converse All-Stars, are the five starters for Texas Western. blacks continued to start for the Miners. The Lobos came right back and took a 58-56 lead with 1:04 to play. UTEP honored the 1966 team earlier this month during a ceremony that includes messages from President Barack Obama, Nike co-founder Phil Knight, film producer Jerry Bruckheimer and ESPN commentator Dick Vitale. 2001, you'll see more athletic talent at many high school games. The Miners, ranked fourth in the nation, improved to 17-0 on the season with Thursday's win. I knew it as the championship game. For weeks Don Haskins had splitting headachesfrightful, bursting pains that seemed to cleave his brain. Don Haskins, 78; basketball coach was first to win NCAA title with 5 Texas Western's (UTEP's) winning the basketball national championship helped promote the desegregation of athletics in the Southeastern Conference which had its first black basketball player in 1967.[7]. That night, to the surprise of almost everyone, Texas Western's defense and Texas Western defeats Kentucky in NCAA final - History "People got to see this for the first time," said Gragg. All rights reserved. one shocked coach asked Haskins afterward. a 16-11 advantage. Tulsa, which came into this game with a 10-1 record, kept the game close early on. How the 1966 NCAA Championship changed the world We werent ranked before the season started. But even as the jubilant Miners celebrated a new set of myths was emerging. One year before Texas Western won theNCAA title against Kentucky, 72-65, John Lewis led more than 600 people on a 54-mile march from Selma, Alabama, to the state capitol in Montgomery. Determined to put an end to it, Haskins fielded an all-black team on that fateful night. The Miners never trailed and led this game 45-21 at the half on their way to setting up a meeting with Nevada in Wednesday night's championship game. I didnt say I dislike these guys. Rupp, stunned college basketball and upset conventional wisdom. blacks at home. in 1977, the old coach lamented to visitors about the loss. Hill and Shed led the Miners for the entire game, each scoring 20 points and neither playing a great deal in the final half. Nevil Shed had to hoist up Willie Worsley so he could do the honors. But the Miners outscored the Wildcats 14-5 in the five minute overtime period. Those words, though, he never once felton the court in that game. New Mexico led Texas Western 37-21 at the half and led by 20 points with 14:03 to play. Its idiotic. Willie Cager led the Miners in scoring with 18 points. The victory, according to sportswriters, analysts and prognosticators was a watershed event because it encouraged other predominantly white schools to recruit African-American players, ending years of shameful and evil segregation. Antonio Brown Tweets Pic Of Himself In A Baltimore Ravens Uniform. 1965: Miners take opening game, beat ENMU. Sportswriters who had never seen Texas Western play until that weekend and Lattin remembers Haskins telling him so many times about that player. NBA Hall of Fame Coach Pat Riley played a key role in the historic matchup thats been immortalized in movies and books.