INDIANAPOLIS--The critically-acclaimed sports documentary “Game of Change,” which chronicles the historic 1963 NCAA Regional semifinal men’s basketball game between Loyola University (Chicago) and Mississippi State University, has been selected as  a feature presentation for the upcoming Heartland Film Festival. 

    The film will be shown starting Saturday through October 22 at several Indianapolis locations as part of the film festival. The documentary will first be screened at the AMC Greenwood Movie Theater on Saturday, at 4:45 p.m., and on Sunday at 7:15 p.m.   The documentary will also be shown at the AMC Castleton Square Theater, Monday, October 20 at 9:30 p.m., and on Wednesday, October 22 at 7:15 p.m.

    Many regard the 1963 game as a catalyst for racial change in college sports, while others echo that the game represents one of the most defining moments in NCAA sports history.  

    The game featured Loyola, with four African-American starters, and Mississippi State, an all-white team.   The documentary centers heavily on Mississippi State, a three-time Southeastern Conference champion that was bound by Mississippi state law from playing integrated basketball squads. 

    The film details how MSU coach Babe McCarthy, MSU President Dean Colvard, and Athletics Director Wade Walker risked their personal safety and jeopardized their jobs by sneaking the MSU team out of Mississippi during the night so it could play Loyola, despite protests from the governor and state police officials, threats from the community, and a pending court injunction.  

    The game, which many doubted would take place, was played on March 15 in East Lansing, Mich.  Loyola beat Mississippi State, 61-51, in the regional game en route to claiming the 1963 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship title.  

     The Game of Change documentary features comments from former student-athletes and representatives from both teams who describe their thoughts prior to, during and after the game, along with the significance of the game, the racial overtures in the nation and the state of Mississippi at the time, and what they learned from the experience.   

    Game of Change was produced by the NCAA in conjunction with Pathway Productions.  Jerald Harkness, son of two-time Loyola All-American Jerry Harkness who played on the 1963 team, is the director of the documentary.   

-30-