Pat Riley after losing 1966 title game with Kentucky vs. a team of only Black players: "They dominated us...I felt miserable"
Pat Riley grew up during a period in American history when racial tensions were at their peak, particularly throughout the 1960s. At that time, no matter how talented a player was, scholarships and college opportunities were often heavily influenced by race.
When Riley first arrived at the University of Kentucky, he was accustomed to competing against the African American athletes (having grown up in New York), so he was genuinely taken aback to see that Kentucky's campus did not feature any black athletes. However, Pat later realized that the 1966 NCAA Championship Game played a pivotal role in changing those long-standing dynamics and perceptions.
Bigger than a game
When the Wildcats faced the UTEP Miners in the championship game, the contest featured something in a broader context — something that Riley initially paid no attention to. It was a battle between an All-White starting lineup and an All-Black one. However, Pat was among those who were simply so locked in to win the silverware that he did not grasp the broader social implications of what that matchup represented until he set foot on the hardwood.
Once the game tipped off, it became clear that the UTEP players were competing with an intensity fueled by more than just the desire to win a championship. They played with heart, courage, and purpose, not only to lift the trophy but also to prove a larger point: that African American players deserved recognition, praise, and opportunities at the highest level of collegiate basketball.
Put simply, the Miners' performance was a statement against the systematic practice of overlooking talent purely because of race.
"When I got to Kentucky, there were no black players around anywhere, " Riley recalled . "I felt that just by looking into their eyes, they were playing for a hell of a lot more than any NCAA championship. I just felt that, and they dominated us. They beat us like a drum that day. Losing an NCAA championship is bad; I felt miserable. I cried on the bench."
UTEP did everything to win
Both teams battled relentlessly, but UTEP continued to apply pressure and ultimately secured a seven-point victory. In the immediate aftermath, Riley later reflected that the racial climate of the time prevented him and his teammates from fully understanding the message they could have sent by openly embracing the Miners players with handshakes or hugs.
The weight of the loss and the tension of the era clouded that moment. Only with time did Riley come to appreciate just how groundbreaking and transformative that championship game truly was.
That being said, in hindsight, Riles acknowledged that while he was consumed by the disappointment of losing on college basketball's biggest stage, that game helped reshape how African American players were viewed by elite collegiate programs across the country. Today, regardless of the college program, athletes are chosen based on their talent, not their race, a principle that the 1966 UTEP team worked hard for, and it's great to see that their efforts paid off.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
