1966 Championship Game Against Texas Western
An important game in Rupp's career was the 1966 NCAA Championship Game against Texas Western, coached by Don Haskins. It featured Kentucky's all-white starting five versus Texas Western's all-black starting five. Occurring at the height of the Civil Rights Era, this appeared on the surface to pit the racist paradigm of the old South versus the integrated America of the Future. The game, which Texas Western won 72-65, dramatically signaled the end of the racially exclusive philosophies that were rapidly being replaced by more enlightened coaching approaches, as well as the overall approach of the SEC, ACC, and SWC conferences at large.
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