Fever Coach Calls Officiating ‘Egregious’ After Clark Injured in Loss to Mercury
8 verified5 unconfirmed1 contested
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White strongly criticized game officials after her star player Caitlin Clark left Wednesday’s 111-109 loss to the Phoenix Mercury with a back injury. White described the officiating as “egregious” and “utterly disrespectful,” saying Clark was not protected on the court. Two incidents in the second quarter drew particular attention: a tangle with Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas and a foul on a three-point attempt that led to an awkward landing for Clark. Officials reviewed the play but assessed whether Clark had committed a hostile act rather than whether a foul had been committed against her. White stated that Clark is not officiated consistently compared to other players. The game followed a heated meeting between the two teams earlier in the week.
What’s verified
The Fever lost 111-109 to the Mercury on Wednesday.
Caitlin Clark left the game in the third quarter with a back injury and was ruled out for the remainder.
In the second quarter, Clark and Alyssa Thomas tangled while battling for a loose ball; Thomas pushed her fist into Clark’s neck, and no foul was called.
On the next possession, Clark was fouled on a three-point attempt, leading to an awkward landing.
Officials reviewed the three-point play but checked for a potential hostile act by Clark, not for a foul against her.
White called the lack of calls “egregious” and “utterly disrespectful.”
White said Clark is “not called the same way everybody else is called.”
White referred to the incidents as “cheap shots” and said a “fist in the throat is crazy … dangerous.”
Where accounts differ
One source reports that Thomas kneed Clark in the groin during the tangle; the other source reports that Thomas kneed Clark in the stomach. No other conflicting reports identified across sources.
Not yet confirmed
The Fever won the previous meeting between the teams 88-77 on Monday, according to a single report.
Clark scored over 3,900 points at the University of Iowa, a record for any male or female player, according to a single report.
White has criticized officials in previous seasons, including for games against the New York Liberty and Connecticut Sun, according to a single report.
White did not provide an update on Clark’s condition after the game, according to a single report.
Wednesday’s loss set a league record for most losses when scoring 100 or more points in a season, according to a single report.
Key figures
Stephanie White – head coach of the Indiana Fever
Caitlin Clark – guard/forward for the Indiana Fever
Alyssa Thomas – forward for the Phoenix Mercury
Sources: BBC News, sbnation.com
