Caitlin Clark was at the center of more foul drama on Sunday, and this one left ESPN’s broadcasters stunned.
As the Fever led the Dream by five in Atlanta, Clark was called for a shooting foul on Rhyne Howard with 10.4 seconds left in overtime after lightly touching Howard’s back during a 3-point attempt.
Clark, 24, immediately gestured toward the Fever bench for a challenge, and head coach Stephanie White obliged, but the call was upheld after review.
Howard hit all three of her free throws to cut the Dream’s deficit to two, but Clark followed up with two made free throws of her own, and Indiana held on for a 95-91 win.
“Oh, I don’t see anything there,” play-by-player Ryan Ruocco said as the broadcast showed replays of the foul as the refs reviewed it. “There’s a little bit of contact…”
“It’s less than contact, it’s a touch,” analyst and Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo responded. “And you don’t call that all game long, I would be surprised if they don’t overturn it here.”
Ruocco then said he’d also be surprised if the call wasn’t overturned.
“It does not impact at all the balance with which Howard takes the shot,” Lobo continued. “She’s just kind of on a fade a little bit. It’s almost like fingertips on a keyboard. I would be stunned if they do not overturn that call.”
After the call was strangely upheld, Ruocco simply said, “wow.”
“I’m surprised,” Lobo added.
Clark, who was caught smiling after Angel Reese missed a potential game-winning layup at the end of regulation, held her arms out in disbelief.
The three-time All-Star led the Fever on Sunday with 26 points on 9-for-20 shooting with nine assists.
Eight days earlier, Clark was called for a technical foul when her momentum caused her to bump into a referee along the baseline.
That was her eighth technical of the season, which triggers an automatic one-game suspension. But the WNBA rescinded the tech the same day, putting Clark back at seven for the year.
