By Lindsay Burke
A sold out crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse didn’t leave disappointed as the Fever came out with a 71-70 win over Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky, the team’s first at home this season.
It did however get chippy between both teams, particularly between the Sky’s Chennedy Carter and the Fever’s Caitlin Clark.
Carter was tagged with a technical foul after blindsiding Clark prior to an inbound pass knocking her to the floor.
The home crowd was more than displeased – and they weren’t the only ones as the play quickly went viral on social media pressuring the league to better protect Clark from shots she has taken from other players early in her WNBA career.
Clark got up and continued playing the game as if it never happened.
“It just wasn’t a basketball play,” she said. “It is what it is. It’s a physical game. Go make the free throw and execute on offense, and I feel like that’s kind of what we did.”
On Sunday, the league announced that after further evaluation the foul on Carter had been upgraded to a flagrant.
The WNBA rules include a point system for flagrant fouls on players that can lead to suspension and potential fines.
Clark finished with 11 points and 8 rebounds, helping her become only the second player in WNBA history to reach 150+ points, 50+ rebounds and 50+ assists in their first 10 games as a rookie.
Veteran Kelsey Mitchell contributed 18 points while NaLyssa Smith added 17 points.
The Fever have already surpassed last year’s attendance total (81,336) after reaching 82,857 in just their first five home games.
They return to action Friday as they take on the Washington Mystics at 7:30 p.m.