Caitlin Clark is known for her fire and excitement on the basketball court, but instead of that leading to her first career victory with the Indiana Fever, she received the first technical foul of her career.
The Fever remain winless on the year, falling to the Connecticut Sun for the second time, 88-84, but this one went down to the wire when every possession counted.
However, Clark's temper flared with 3:41 left in the fourth quarter with the Fever up one point, when he appeared to curse in the direction of a referee, prompting an immediate whistle and a technical foul.
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, #22, reacts after scoring a 3-point basket during the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun on Monday, May 20, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. (IMAGE)
“It's a damn foul,” Clark appeared to bark at one of the referees after she was called for a transition foul following a turnover, which the Sun's Alyssa Thomas caused at the other end of the court.
Clark felt like Thomas fouled him before his steal, and then the lack of transition didn't help how he felt when he tried to stop Connecticut on the other end.
The technical foul led to a free throw for the Sun, which DeWanna Bonner scored to tie the game. It was also the last time the Fever took the lead in this one.
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In the end it was a back-and-forth battle on the scoreboard, with the Fever tying things up with 30 seconds left when Clark found Aliyah Boston, who hit a six-foot jumper to tie things at 84 apiece. one.
However, Indiana's Temi Fagbenle was called for a personal foul on Tyasha Harris with 11.1 left on the clock, leading to two free throws. Harris would exhaust them both, giving Connecticut the two-point lead over Indiana.
Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas, #25, strips the ball from Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, #22, during the second half of a WNBA basketball game on Monday, May 20, 2024 in Gainbridge Fieldhouse. (IMAGE)
At the other end, Boston failed to make a layup with 7.1 left in the game, and Thomas hit two more free throws to ice the Sun's victory.
Clark would finish the game with 17 points, tied with Kelsey Mitchell for the team lead in that category. Clark shot 5 of 11 from the field, including 3 of 7 from beyond the arc, with five assists, three rebounds and two blocks as well.
After the game, Clark knows he shouldn't have reacted the way he did, which led to the technique.
“Just the technical foul, I can't understand it,” Clark told reporters. “A little bit of frustration with how the game was officiated. But it is what it is. That's out of your control. I thought our team put itself in a position to make some plays to try to win down the stretch and the Sun always had a hard time great plays happened.”
Early in the game, Clark injured his ankle, which certainly gave the Fever and their fans a big scare. However, he would return to the game after needing to come out in the second quarter.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, #22, reacts after being called for a foul during the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun on Monday, May 20, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. (IMAGE)
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Clark and the Fever have not started the season on the right foot. They'll have another chance to get that first win on Wednesday when they head to Seattle to face the Storm.
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