Sheila Stafford

There are unique moments in sports when you may be realizing that you are witnessing history unfold, and sometimes that historic moment may even help spark change in the world around us.

On March 19th, 1966 the Texas Western College today known as the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Miners Men’s basketball team won the NCAA national championship by defeating Adolph Rupp’s University of Kentucky Wildcats 72-65 in College Park, Maryland.

The team made history by starting five black players for the game. At the time, public universities were starting to integrate, but major college athletic conferences, especially in the south still remained mostly white like Rupp’s Wildcats.

The Miner’s went 23-1 that season. Coached by Don Haskins, a defensive minded and later coaching legend, known as “The Bear.” Willie Cager was a 6-5-sophomore player on that historic team.

“All I wanted to do is learn how to play defense for Haskins. Once I learned how to play defense...offense…I took c