Tempers flared between the Indiana Fever and Phoenix Mercury on Monday after Caitlin Clark’s run-ins with Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner in the fourth quarter. Clark and Bonner got tangled first with eight minutes left and chirped at each other. Sophie Cunningham got involved in an altercation with her former Mercury veteran.
Meanwhile, Myisha Hines-Allen also came to Clark’s defense. All three Fever players and Bonner received techs for their actions. Shortly after, Hines-Allen got into it with Thomas, earned her second tech and got ejected.
Then, Clark and Thomas went at it with five minutes left when the Mercury guard seemingly elbowed the Fever star, but it was overturned. Here’s what Clark said about the melee:
“I appreciate the refs just calling the fouls, so it didn’t get completely out of hand. That might’ve been the longest fourth quarter in the history of the WNBA.”
The Fever had the last laugh as they won 86-77 despite trailing 19-3 with 11 seconds left in the first quarter. Clark played one of her best games, scoring 24 points, dishing nine assists and committing only three turnovers. She shot 8-for-17 from the field. The Fever bounced back after suffering back-to-back losses to the Atlanta Dream on Thursday and Saturday.
On the other hand, Alyssa Thomas had a solid game with 19 points and nine rebounds on 8-for-12 shots, while DeWanna Bonner’s issues continued as she finished with seven points, on 3-for-7 shots. The Mercury suffered their 12th loss after recently snapping a four-game losing streak against the Seattle Storm.
Caitlin Clark rips refs for her technical foul
Caitlin Clark didn’t hold back in calling out the referees for her technical foul on Monday. The referee whistled at her for clapping during her altercation with DeWanna Bonner. It was her fifth of the season. If Clark gets three more, she could get suspended for a game.
“It’s ridiculous, I got a technical for clapping,” Clark said after the game (via Fever reporter Chloe Peterson).”We should all just go on the calendar now and pick a game I’m going to be suspended for if I’m going to get technicals for clapping.”
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