Fever HC Reacts to 'Cheap Shots' on Caitlin Clark, Calls Out Refs amid Viral Videos of Hit to Neck
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White had Caitlin Clark's back following their team's 111-109 loss to the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday.
A video showed that Alyssa Thomas hit Clark in the neck and stepped over her in a scramble for the ball after the Fever guard fell to the ground. Nothing was called, and Indiana later announced Clark would not return because of a back injury.
"The fact that it was a no-call," White told reporters. "… I brought it to the attention of the officials at halftime, yet we still had 11 fouls in the fourth quarter to their two? They still shot 24 free throws in the second half? … You got to call it. It's absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful. … absolutely unacceptable."
White was also upset that a closeout wasn't called a foul when the defender's foot slid underneath Clark.
"We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots in this game that weren't called," the coach continued. "I can say it again, absolutely unacceptable."
White added that "she is not called the same way everybody else is called."
It was the second straight game between the Fever and Mercury. Indiana won the first one on Monday, but Phoenix bounced back with a dramatic win Wednesday. With Clark sidelined at the end, the Fever turned it over on their final possession with a chance to either win or force overtime.
Clark finished with 19 points and eight assists on 5-of-9 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 shooting from deep before exiting with the injury. She also made all six of her free throws, although the Mercury enjoyed a 33-19 advantage in free-throw attempts during the course of the entire game.
Thomas finished with 24 points for the victors, while Kahleah Copper added 28 points in an impressive performance.
Tensions were surely high going into Wednesday's rematch, as Monday's contest featured six technical fouls and an ejection. Aliyah Boston was whistled for a flagrant foul in Wednesday's contest when she hit Copper with her elbow.
White so adamantly supporting Clark was notable considering they generated headlines earlier this season when the guard appeared frustrated during a heated exchange that both of them dismissed when later asked about it:
Their dynamic was once again under the spotlight Wednesday but in a much different fashion with White supporting her player.
