Connor McCaffery slams officiating in GF Caitlin Clark’s game vs. Dream in since-deleted tweet

Connor McCaffery wasn't happy with officiating in his girlfriend Caitlin Clark's game against the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday. The Butler assistant coach criticized the referees for their performance during the first half of Indiana's showdown in a since-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter).

Three of the referees' calls were challenged by the Fever coaches and the Dream in the first two quarters, all of which were overturned after a replay review. Indiana and Atlanta players also complained about referees not calling fouls in the opening half.

Connor McCaffery shared his thoughts about the officiating on X before deleting his post.

"Good to see the W refs in mid season form," McCaffery wrote.

(Image source - X)

Atlanta started strong in the contest, building a 31-23 lead after the first quarter. Indiana came storming back in the second quarter, outscoring Atlanta 19-13, to trim the deficit to two points entering the halftime interval.

The Dream outscored the Fever 32-23 in the third quarter to extend their lead to double digits. Indiana staged another comeback in the fourth quarter, taking the lead for the first time in the second half after a free throw from Aliyah Boston with 21.1 seconds left.

Atlanta pulled off a 91-90 victory in the end, though, with Rhyne Howard scoring the game-winning free throws with 9.1 seconds left.

How Caitlin Clark fared for the Indiana Fever in the loss to the Atlanta Dream

Caitlin Clark got off to a strong start against the Atlanta Dream, scoring 16 points on 5-for-10 shooting in the first half. She shot 3-for-5 from beyond the arc and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. She also made seven assists and collected five rebounds for the Fever, who trailed the Dream 44-42 entering the halftime break.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (#22) reacts to the action on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, during the game against the Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Photo: Imagn

Caitlin Clark sent the fans inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse into a frenzy in the fourth quarter, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to cut Atlanta's lead to 80-76 with 7:28 left. The Dream answered with a 9-4 run to bring their lead back up to nine points with less than four minutes left.

Indiana responded with a 10-0 run to grab a 90-89 advantage in the final minute before Rhyne Howard broke the Fever's hearts with her two late free throws. Clark led all players in scoring and assists, posting a double-double with 27 points and 11 dimes.