When Caitlin Clark sank 22 points in two minutes... against men

Last Tuesday, Caitlin Clark—one of the biggest stars in women’s basketball and one of the most talked-about names in American sports right now—appeared on David Letterman’s Netflix show, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction. The highlight of her interview, the moment that went viral almost instantly across social media, was when she spoke about a legendary practice game that has even earned its own name: The Scrimmage.

The Indiana Fever superstar, gearing up for her second WNBA season, recalled a 2021 training matchup when her college team, the Iowa Hawkeyes, faced off against a men’s team as part of their preseason preparation.

Caitlin Clark single-handedly destroys men’s basketball team

Iowa was trailing by 15 when Clark decided to take the comeback into her own hands: “So we make a couple of threes and cut it to ten, maybe I don’t even know.” Letterman, with typical quick wit, asked Caitlin to clarify what she really meant by we - was everyone making 3s or just her? Clark laughed and clarified: “It was me, but the points counted for the Hawkeyes. I think I had 22 points in two minutes—was the moral of the story.”

At first, it seemed like no one witnessed Clark’s incredible performance—but that’s not entirely true. Sitting in the stands were a few high school players, and they saw everything unfold. “It was funny because we had a high school girls basketball team there that day. So we had a little audience and we were up in our practice gym,” Clark recalled. “And they were jumping out of their chairs, going crazy.”

Normally, Clark stays composed when she hits big shots, but that day was different. “Usually, I never react when I hit a big shot - I do, but never in a shocked way. Actually, with my fifth three in a row in like a minute, I was like, ‘Oh my Gosh.’ I couldn’t believe it, I was running around and we ended up winning,” she admitted. The guys on the other team weren’t too happy about it and haven’t been able to live it down. “Our boy practice players didn’t hear the end of it. They still don’t,” Clark joked, “but I love to bring it up to them. We talk a lot of crap, so...”

That legendary scrimmage took place between Caitlin’s freshman and sophomore seasons at Iowa. In her debut year, she led her home-state university—now having retired her iconic No. 22 jersey—to the national title, averaging over 26 points, 7 assists, and 3.9 three-pointers per game.

Fast forward three years to 2024, and Clark was the undisputed No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft. She finished her rookie season as the league’s Rookie of the Year, posting impressive numbers: 19.2 points, 8.3 assists, and 3.1 three-pointers per game. Even more importantly, she helped secure a playoff spot for her team, marking the beginning of what promises to be an extraordinary professional career.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.