In the mid-1960s, college basketball was still divided by barriers few were willing to challenge.

Then a hard-nosed coach from Enid, Oklahoma came to El Paso and helped change the game forever.

Don Haskins didn’t set out to make history. He set out to win.

At Texas Western College, Haskins built his program on toughness, discipline, and a simple principle: the best players should play.

On March 19, 1966, that philosophy reached the national stage.

Texas Western vs. Kentucky.

Haskins started five Black players against one of college basketball’s most storied programs. In College Park, Maryland, Texas Western won 72–65, capturing the national championship and forever changing the landscape of college basketball.

It wasn’t a statement.

It was a standard.

The victory became a defining moment in the integration of college athletics, opening doors for generations of players who followed. Haskins never portrayed himself as a civil rights pioneer. He was a basketball coach who believed in his players and gave them the opportunity to prove themselves.

Over 38 seasons, Haskins won 719 games, captured a national championship, and built UTEP basketball into a program defined by toughness, opportunity, and pride. His players left with more than victories. They carried with them lessons in accountability, loyalty, discipline, and belief.

In 1997, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame recognized what El Paso had known for decades:

Don Haskins changed the game.

He passed away in 2008, but his legacy remains—from the court that bears his name in El Paso to generations of players and coaches whose opportunities were shaped by what happened on one unforgettable night in 1966.

When Don Haskins took over the Texas Western College basketball program, racial integration in college athletics was still widely resisted.

His philosophy was straightforward: recruit the best players, play the best players, and give everyone the same opportunity to compete.

That approach brought exceptional talent to El Paso and helped build a team that would change college basketball history.

On March 19, 1966, Haskins started five Black players against Adolph Rupp’s all-white Kentucky team in the NCAA Championship game. Texas Western’s 72–65 victory in College Park, Maryland became a landmark moment in American sports, challenging racial barriers and helping accelerate the integration of major college basketball programs across the country.

Haskins never claimed to be making a political statement. He was trying to win a basketball game with the players he believed gave his team the best chance to succeed.

That simple conviction helped change the game.

The story was later brought to a new generation through the Disney film Glory Road, further establishing Haskins and the 1966 Texas Western Miners as enduring symbols of opportunity, courage, and competitive excellence.

Don Haskins built UTEP basketball into one of the nation’s most respected programs, winning 719 games over 38 seasons and producing 17 twenty-win seasons. Known for demanding defense, discipline, and toughness, “The Bear” created a culture that became synonymous with UTEP basketball.

Along the way, Haskins coached future NBA standouts including Nate “Tiny” Archibald, Tim Hardaway, and Antonio Davis, while earning recognition as one of the game’s great teachers and competitors. His influence extended beyond El Paso as an assistant coach for the 1972 U.S. Olympic basketball team.

Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997, Haskins left a legacy that reaches far beyond wins and championships. His commitment to opportunity, accountability, and competitive excellence helped change college basketball and established him as one of the most influential coaches in the history of the game.

Explore The Rebound 915 Podcast: Don Haskins Edition for documentary-style conversations with former players, coaches, family members, journalists, and friends who knew Coach Haskins and helped preserve his story.