Kristian Ferrell
The UTEP Miners men's basketball team represents the University of Texas at El Paso in Texas. The team plays in NCAA Division I and competes in the Conference USA. The team has had a successful history, most notably winning the 1966 NCAA basketball tournament, which is considered one of the most important victories in the history of college basketball due to its cultural significance during the Civil Rights Movement. The team has also made 15 appearances in the NCAA tournament, and UTEP is tied for 10th overall among schools in Men's Sports Division I championships.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Team Name | UTEP Miners |
| University | University of Texas at El Paso |
| Division | NCAA Division I |
| Conference | Conference USA |
| Home Games Arena | Don Haskins Center |
| Current Record | 15-5 |
| Conference Ranking | 2nd in C-USA |
| 2025 Win-Loss Record | N/A |
| Historical Achievements | 1966 NCAA Basketball Tournament Champions, 7 NCAA Men's Cross Country Championships, 21 NCAA Division I National Championships |
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What You'll Learn
UTEP Miners: the team name and its history
The UTEP Miners is the name given to the sports teams of the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). The name "Miners" is presumed to have originated from the fact that the university was founded as the State School of Mines and Metallurgy. The name was first used in 1914, the year the school opened and the football team played its first game. The school newspaper also used the nickname in reference to the football team that year.
The Miners' mascot is a miner named Paydirt Pete, selected from a 1974 naming contest that received over 500 entries. The first physical mascot was a student dressed as a prospector leading a burro, and the first official Paydirt Pete mascot appeared in 1980 as a "lovable 'little ol' Miner'". The mascot's appearance has evolved into a tougher, meaner-looking miner. The Miners' colours are orange and blue, with white added to the official palette in 1980. The school fight song, "Miners Fight", was borrowed from the University of Texas at Austin.
The Miners have a rich history in NCAA sports, with the football team winning a Border Conference championship in 1956 and a Western Athletic Conference championship in 2000. The men's basketball team won the NCAA Championship in 1966, defeating an all-white Kentucky team with five African-American players. This game, considered one of the most important in college basketball history, occurred during the Civil Rights Movement and was the first time an all-black team started at that level. The UTEP Miners have also won seven NCAA Men's Cross Country Championships and seven NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships.
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NCAA Division I: the UTEP Miners' league
The UTEP Miners men's basketball team represents the University of Texas at El Paso, Texas, in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. They compete in the Conference USA league. The team plays its home games at the Don Haskins Center, which has a capacity of 11,892. The venue is known as a tough place for opponents to win, and the Miners have historically struggled to attract top-ranked teams to play there.
The UTEP Miners have a rich history in college basketball, most notably as the first Division I Men's National Basketball Champions from the state of Texas in 1966. This victory, under the name Texas Western, is considered one of the most significant in the sport's history. The Miners' starting lineup featured five African-American players, and they defeated a Kentucky team with an all-white roster during the Civil Rights Movement. This triumph has been widely celebrated, including in the book "And the Walls Came Tumbling Down" and the Disney movie "Glory Road".
The Miners have appeared in 17 NCAA Tournaments, ten National Invitation Tournaments, and three College Basketball Invitationals. They advanced to the finals of the 2009 College Basketball Invitational, showcasing their consistent competitiveness on a national stage. The team's overall record in the NCAA Tournaments is 14-16, with a first-round bye in 1984.
UTEP Miners basketball has also produced numerous players who have gone on to play in major professional leagues worldwide. McKenzie Moore, born in 1992, plays in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, while Randy Culpepper competes in the Italian Serie A2 Basketball League. Kent Lockhart, a former UTEP player from the early 1980s, had a successful career in the Australian professional league, averaging over 25 points per game.
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The 1966 NCAA championship: the UTEP Miners' win
The 1966 NCAA championship game was a landmark moment in the history of college basketball and the Civil Rights Movement. The Texas Western Miners, now known as the UTEP Miners, made history by becoming the first team with five African-American starters to win a national championship title.
Led by coach Don Haskins, the Miners defeated the University of Kentucky Wildcats, who fielded an all-white team, with a score of 72-65. The game, played on March 19, 1966, at Cole Field House in College Park, Maryland, was more than just a basketball game; it challenged stereotypes and assumptions about black players and marked a turning point in athletic recruiting, accelerating the advancement of black athletes in the South.
The Miners, ranked third in the nation, had a stellar season leading up to the championship. They defeated Oklahoma City by 15 points in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and then faced a tough contest against Cincinnati, winning in overtime by a score of 78-76. In the regional final, they faced Kansas and secured a double-overtime victory, 81-80, earning their spot in the Final Four. In the national semi-finals, they beat Utah by seven points, setting up the historic final against the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats.
The Miners took control of the game midway through the first half and maintained their lead throughout. Their victory sent shockwaves through the college basketball world and challenged widely held stereotypes about the capabilities of black players. The game is remembered not just for its impact on basketball but also for its broader societal implications. After the 1966 championship, college teams in the South began aggressively recruiting black athletes, marking the end of shameful segregation in college sports and changing the landscape of basketball forever.
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The Don Haskins Center: the UTEP Miners' home stadium
The Don Haskins Center is the home stadium of the UTEP Miners men's and women's basketball teams. Located in El Paso, Texas, the venue was built in 1977 and was originally known as the Special Events Center. It replaced the Memorial Gym.
The Don Haskins Center has a seating capacity of 12,000, with no aisles running through the seating area, allowing fans to be close to the action even at the very top. The UTEP logo is at centre court, facing west, with the UTEP bench in the southeast corner and the visiting bench in the northeast corner. The north end of the arena is the student section, which is general admission, while the rest of the arena has assigned seating. The concourse surrounds the entire arena, with a concession stand in each of the eight hallways. Food and drink options include beer, hot dogs, nachos, and candy, with prices ranging from $4 to $10.
The Don Haskins Center is not just a sports venue, but also a premier entertainment destination in El Paso. It has hosted notable performers such as Shakira, Britney Spears, George Lopez, and KISS. The centre is also used by local schools for graduation and commencement ceremonies.
The UTEP Miners men's basketball team has a rich history, winning the 1966 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament as Texas Western. This victory is considered one of the most significant in college basketball history, as Texas Western started five African-American players, marking the first time a team with an all-African-American lineup won a title game. The team's success continued at the Don Haskins Center, with undefeated home records in the 1983-84, 1985-86, and 1988-89 seasons. They have also defeated several top-ranked teams at their home stadium.
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Conference USA: the UTEP Miners' conference
The UTEP Miners are the athletic teams of the University of Texas at El Paso. The Miners' men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in Conference USA. The team plays its home games at the Don Haskins Center, which was built in 1976 and has a seating capacity of 12,000.
The Miners have a rich basketball history, most notably winning the 1966 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament as Texas Western. This victory is considered one of the most important in college basketball history, as it marked the first time a team with five African-American starters won a title game. The Miners defeated the University of Kentucky, a team with no African-American players, by a score of 72-65. This game took place during the Civil Rights Movement and has been chronicled in various media, including the book "And the Walls Came Tumbling Down" and the 2006 Disney movie "Glory Road".
UTEP's athletic programs have achieved notable success over the years, including 21 NCAA Division I national championships across various sports. The Miners' men's cross-country team has been particularly dominant, winning seven national championships, including four consecutive titles from 1978 to 1981. The team has produced several individual national champions, such as Suleiman Nyambui, Matthews Motshwarateu, and Zakarie Barie.
In addition to basketball and cross-country, UTEP's football team has also found success, winning a conference championship in 1956 as part of the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The Miners have a unique tradition in football, competing against New Mexico State University for the "Silver Spade" and "The Brass Spittoon" trophies. The winner of this annual rivalry game has their score engraved on the blade of the spade, which is a prospector's shovel discovered in the Organ Mountains.
While UTEP has had a long affiliation with Conference USA, the university recently announced its move to the Mountain West Conference, ending a 20-year relationship. The Miners will become the seventh program in the Mountain West, joining rivals such as New Mexico, Air Force, and Wyoming. This move is expected to bring financial benefits, with the Mountain West's TV deal offering significantly higher revenue potential than Conference USA.
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Frequently asked questions
UTEP stands for The University of Texas at El Paso.
The UTEP men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I team competing in the Conference USA. In 1966, the team won the NCAA basketball championship, making them the first university from the state of Texas to win an NCAA men's basketball title.
The Miners defeated an all-white Kentucky team with a score of 72-65.
The 1966 championship game is considered one of the most important in the history of college basketball as it marked the first time that a team with five African-American starters won a title game.
The men's and women's basketball teams play their home games at the Don Haskins Center, also known as "The Bear's Den" or "The Don".
