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Jun 19, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries guard Kate Martin (right) dribbles against Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

'Officials Need To Grow With The Game': Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham Altercation With Sun Players Reveal Flaw In WNBA Officiating, Says Analyst

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Dan Agulto | Last updated Jun 20, 2025 11:47 AM ET

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever were recently backed by one seasoned sports reporter and analyst, in light of the recent altercation that the team had and the controversies surrounding the game officiating.

In a recent video , Front Office Sports reporter and analyst Annie Costabile gave her honest take on the state of officiating in the WNBA, particularly after a heated game between Catilin Clark with the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun.

“I think there’s been a lot of evidence over the years, specifically the last two, that have indicated that the officials need to grow with the game. And we haven’t quite seen that reflected as of late, especially when you’re looking at last night’s game as a prime example,” she said. “There were a number of incidents that point to just poor officiating, specifically when you break down who received what type of technical [or] flagrant foul.”

Following Tuesday’s Fever-Sun matchup, Indiana HC Stephanie White criticized officials:

“Everybody’s getting better, except the officials.”@AnnieCostabile joined the show to discuss pic.twitter.com/xeP1X0QT7W

— Front Office Sports Today (@FOS_Today) June 18, 2025

Recently, the game between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun took a heated turn when Caitlin Clark had an altercation with multiple players of the Sun, leading to a technical foul on her.

Golden State Valkyries Beat Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever

The Golden State Valkyries spoiled Indiana’s rhythm with an 88–77 victory Thursday at the Chase Center, halting the Fever’s two-game winning streak and knocking Caitlin Clark off her recent hot streak. Indiana held leads as big as 13 points, but an explosive 33–18 Valkyries rally in the fourth quarter turned the tide. Kayla Thornton poured in 16 points—knocking down two key threes late—while veteran sparkplug Tiffany Hayes chipped in 14 points and five assists off the bench.

Clark, coming off back-to-back terrific outings, hit a wall against Golden State’s stifling defense. She finished with just 11 points on 3-of-14 shooting, missing all seven of her attempts from deep—only the second time in her WNBA career she’s gone without a three. Still, she fought for seven rebounds and handed out nine assists, though six turnovers undermined the Fever’s late-game push. On the other side, former Iowa teammate Kate Martin added nine points in a feel-good performance for the expansion franchise.

Jun 19, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (right) dribbles against Golden State Valkyries forward Laeticia Amihere (left) during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Indiana fell to 6–6 with this defeat, and head coach Stephanie White was notably absent due to personal reasons, leaving assistant Austin Kelly to steer the ship. Aliyah Boston led the Fever with a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double, and Kelsey Mitchell chipped in 16 points, but 16 turnovers and a cold 8-of-29 night from three doomed their comeback hopes. Golden State, now also 6–6, celebrated its sixth straight sellout in just its inaugural season.

Caitlin Clark, so far since she has returned from injury, has averaged 21.6 points per game, 6.4 rebounds, and 9.2 assists.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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