Caitlin Clark’s Fiery Ref Clash and Injury Scare in Fever’s Win Over Sun

Indiana Fever’s rising star Caitlin Clark found herself in a fiery exchange with WNBA referee Mike Price during Tuesday night’s clash against the Connecticut Sun. With just over four minutes left in the third quarter, tensions flared over a disputed out-of-bounds call. Clark, visibly frustrated, was seen venting at Price as she headed to the bench, her words sharp enough to warrant intervention from assistant coach Briann January, who had to physically pull her back.

The drama didn’t end there. As officials reviewed the play, Clark couldn’t hold back, reportedly shouting, "That’s just rude. Grow up!" in the direction of the referees. Remarkably, she escaped a technical foul despite the heated outburst. It’s a moment that underscores the raw passion Clark brings to the court, though it raises questions about where to draw the line between intensity and decorum.

On the performance front, Clark’s night was a mixed bag. Still nursing a groin injury, her shooting struggles were evident—she entered the game with a dismal 1-for-28 from beyond the arc on the road and finished 1-for-7 from three and 4-for-14 overall. Still, she battled through, posting 14 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Her grit shone in the fourth quarter with nine consecutive points for Indiana, but heartbreak struck late as she limped off in tears after appearing to aggravate her groin injury on a pass to teammate Kelsey Mitchell.

Indiana secured an 85-77 victory, with Mitchell leading the charge at 20 points, while Sun veteran Tina Charles delivered a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. Yet, with the All-Star Game on the horizon, Clark’s health looms as the bigger story. Can this dynamo bounce back, or will injuries dim her dazzling rookie season?