Women's Fastbreak On SI

Caitlin Clark Doppelgängers Stole the Show at University's Viral Silent Night Game

Countless Caitlin Clark imitators took the floor during Taylor University's iconic Silent Night tradition.

Grant Young

Sep 22, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) during the game against Indiana Fever during game one of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images
Sep 22, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) during the game against Indiana Fever during game one of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images / Mark Smith-Imagn Images

Indiana Fever fans have had to deal with rookie sensation Caitlin Clark not being on the basketball court for over two months now.

However, there were dozens of what looked to be Clark doppelgängers on the court at one time Friday night.

The Taylor University X account posted a video captioned, "Caitlin Clark balled out during the Media Timeout at #TUSilentNight 🏀⛹️‍♀️💦". The post showed countless women in identical Caitlin Clark Indiana Fever jerseys pretending to play in a game before one player sank a three-pointer and everyone started celebrating.

Okay, wait a second. What did we just watch? And what did I just write?

Let's back up a bit.

Every year, Taylor University (which is a small liberal arts school in Upland, Indiana) has a special tradition called 'Silent Night' during one of their men's basketball team's pre-Christmas games where, according to a November 19 article from Sports Illustrated's Brigid Kennedy, "Rather than cheer the entirety of the basketball game, Taylor students and spectators stay quiet until the team scores its 10th point. Afterward, students storm the court, releasing the yells and screams they'd been holding inside."

The 10th point scored during the 2023 'Silent Night' game (which goes by #TUSilentNight on X) went extremely viral and received over 1.4 million views after it happened.

Given the insane, Black Friday-esque stampede Taylor University students undergo to get prime seats for this Silent Night game, this tradition brings quite the crowd.

During Friday's game, it only took about 90 seconds for the 10th point to take place — which incited an insane fan (and player) frenzy.

It's crazy that this tradition has kept quiet (pun intended) among the mainstream sports world for as long as it has.

Now, back to the Clark doppelgängers.

A major part of the Silent Night tradition is for students to come dressed in costumes. Clearly, a group of students not only wanted to come costumed as Clark but also do an entire skit in her honor during a media timeout.

And they nailed the entire thing; especially the final Clark imitator draining the three at the end.

The fact that the shot went in seems magical. Then again, there seems to be magic in the air throughout Taylor University's entire Silent Night tradition.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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