Will Caitlin Clark play against the Liberty? Everything you need to know about her rescinded foul and the Carrington ejection.
Caitlin Clark avoids suspension! The WNBA officially rescinded her 8th technical foul after the Fever beat the Sky. Get the real story behind the drama here.
Key Takeaways
What: The Indiana Fever defeated the Chicago Sky 90-86 in a high-stakes road victory.
Why: Caitlin Clark avoids a mandatory suspension because the league office rescinded her eighth technical foul post-game.
How: Explosive backcourt scoring and Clark’s ninth double-double of the season secured the win despite officiating drama.
The Indiana Fever just walked out of the United Center with a 90-86 win over the Chicago Sky, but the box score barely scratches the surface of what happened in Chicago. While most headlines focus on the scoring race, the real story is a massive sigh of relief for Indiana fans regarding a suspension that isn’t happening.
The Technicality: Why Caitlin Clark Avoids Suspension
The standard assumption in the WNBA is simple: if you hit your eighth technical foul, you sit out the next game. When Caitlin Clark bumped into official Genesis Perrymond in the third quarter, the whistle blew, the tech was assessed, and the broadcast immediately began discussing her mandatory vacation for Tuesday’s game against New York.
However, the industry narrative missed a crucial update. The league office has already rescinded Clark’s eighth technical foul. Despite the postgame pool report stating the official deemed the contact “intentional,” a secondary review determined it was incidental. This is a rare moment where the league prioritized the chaotic physics of a fast-paced game over the strict optics of player-official contact. Clark is officially cleared to play against the Liberty on August 11.
Rivalry Flashpoints: The Carrington-Ejection
The game turned aggressive just eight minutes in. DiJonai Carrington was hit with a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 and an immediate ejection after striking Sophie Cunningham in the head during a transition layup. Officials labeled the hit “unnecessary and excessive,” but the drama didn’t stay on the hardwood.
Carrington didn’t speak to reporters, but she did take to social media. She posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafever” on Threads and a cryptic “8/23” on X—the date of the next rematch. Cunningham dismissed the comments, stating there was “no reason to play that card” and suggesting the foul was a bid for attention rather than a basketball play.
Statistical Dominance: Backcourt Chemistry
On the court, Indiana’s offense remains a record-breaking machine. The Fever have now set a WNBA record with 15 games scoring at least 100 points this season, though they fell just short of that mark in this specific four-point win.
- Kelsey Mitchell led the charge with 27 points, continuing a hot streak where she’s averaged 24.1 points per game.
- Caitlin Clark notched her ninth double-double of the year, finishing with 26 points and 11 assists.
- Aliyah Boston controlled the interior with 13 points and 11 rebounds, despite dealing with a nagging right leg injury.
Roster Constraints and Depth
Chicago kept it close—trailing by 17 before cutting it to a single possession in the final seconds—despite a depleted roster. With leading scorer Sydney Taylor out with a groin injury, Kamilla Cardoso stepped up with 14.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
Indiana is facing its own depth issues. With Damiris Dantas out for the season with a torn meniscus, the Fever recently added Ugonne Onyiah to the development roster to bolster a frontcourt that is currently leaning heavily on Aliyah Boston and Makayla Timpson.
Looking Ahead: Standings and Schedule
This win moves Indiana to 20-12, giving them a vital cushion as they hunt for a high playoff seed. The road ahead is gauntlet-style, featuring three games in six days:
- Aug 11: vs. New York Liberty (ESPN)
- Aug 14: vs. Dallas Wings (ION)
- Aug 16: at Atlanta Dream (ESPN)
Fans can catch these upcoming matchups on national broadcasts via ABC, ESPN, and ION, or through streaming services like Fubo.