Tensions have risen between Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Jacy Sheldon of the Connecticut Sun following a physically charged game that resulted in multiple confrontations and ejections. A pivotal moment came when Sheldon poked Clark in the eye, intensifying the rivalry.
During the third quarter, with the Fever ahead 55-45, Clark brought the ball across halfcourt. As she maneuvered near the three-point line, Sheldon, defending closely, made contact and poked Clark in the eye, leading to a personal foul. Clark reacted and pushed Sheldon away, prompting Marina Mabrey from the Sun to shove Clark from behind, causing her to fall.
The situation quickly calmed as Clark got back to her feet, and officials reviewed the incident. Following the review, Sheldon’s foul was upgraded to a flagrant 1, while Clark received a technical foul for her reaction. Additionally, Tina Charles approached Clark during the scuffle and was assessed an offsetting technical foul. Mabrey also received a technical for her actions against Clark.
The penalties resulted in Clark taking three free throws, which she successfully made, expanding the Fever’s lead to 58-45. Neither player was ejected at this point, but the physical nature of the game continued.
Earlier in the second quarter, Clark and Sheldon had exchanged words during a dead ball, with Clark shoving Sheldon in what foreshadowed the subsequent conflict. These early tensions contributed to the overall physicality that characterized the match.
As the game neared its conclusion with the Fever leading 87-70, a hard foul by Sophie Cunningham on Sheldon prompted another flare-up. Cunningham was assessed a flagrant 2 penalty, leading to her automatic ejection, while Sheldon received a technical and was also ejected for fighting, along with Connecticut’s Lindsay Allen.
Players from both teams each took free throws before the game ended decisively with the Fever winning by 17 points, securing their place in the Commissioner’s Cup championship game representing the Eastern Conference.