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Caitlin Clark had 20 points, six assists and four 3-pointers and the host Indiana Fever beat the Connecticut Sun 88-71 on Tuesday night in a physical game in downtown Indianapolis that included several technicals and three late ejections.
The Indiana victory, combined with an Atlanta loss to New York, secured the Fever’s spot in the Commissioner’s Cup with a 4-1 record in cup games. The Fever held the tiebreaker with the Liberty after a 102-88 win on Saturday. The Fever will play in the final against the Minnesota Lynx at the Target Center in Minneapolis on July 1. The Lynx, who won last year’s Commissioner’s Cup, secured their spot by going 5-1 in cup games.
With 46.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Connecticut guard Jacy Sheldon made a steal and raced the other way before being wrapped up by Fever guard Sophie Cunningham under the basket for a hard foul. Sheldon got up quickly and got into a shoving match with Cunningham, leading to Cunningham, Sheldon and Lindsay Allen all getting ejected.
Sheldon was also the center of another official review in the third quarter after she poked Clark in the eye and then Marina Mabrey came in late to shove Clark to the floor. Three technical fouls were called, leading to Clark’s three free throws for a 58-45 Fever lead.
Kelsey Mitchell added 17 points and Natasha Howard had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Indiana (6-5), which went above .500 for the first time since the third game of the season. Damiris Dantas scored a season-high 13 and Howard secured her 50th career double-double.
Tina Charles led Connecticut (2-9) with 20 points. Olivia Nelson-Ododa added 14 points and Jaelyn Brown scored 13.
Clark, who returned from a quad injury on Saturday to make seven 3-pointers against previously undefeated New York, made her first three 3-pointers against the Sun and scored 12 points in the first half to help Indiana build a 47-39 lead.
Connecticut pulled within 50-43 with 8:15 remaining in the third quarter but did not make another field goal until the 2:49 mark to trail by 12 points.
Clark’s fourth 3-pointer made it 84-64.
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These players need to realize the only reason anyone cares about the WNBA now is because of Clark. The constant attacking is only going to take money away from them down the road.
I preface with the comment I’m not a basketball guru, and I’m over the age of 65. But this “wrap up” foul seemed similar to at least one hard tackle in a recent Pacers/Knicks game, and I think I saw another in a Pacer/Thunder game. What happened to basketball? These sorts of fouls should lead to immediate ejection, one game suspension, and perhaps a hefty fine. Basketball was a no-contact sport. The game was played with finessese, with speed, with shooting skills. Next thing, they’ll let the players take four or five steps without dribbling as they position themselves for a three pointer…
I’d pretty much stopped watching pro basketball after the Gang Brawl in the Palace all those years ago. I tuned in this year to watch the Pacers in the play off, and to see Ms. Clark play ball. Very disappointing to watch the depths to which pro basketball has sunk over the years.
Not immediately ejecting Mabrey from the game is hall of fame bad officiating worthy.
+1