Sun-Fever crew chief explains why Marina Mabrey wasn’t ejected after brutally shoving Caitlin Clark: "Did not meet the criteria"

Tuesday's clash between the Connecticut Sun and Indiana Fever was marred by controversial calls and dust-ups between Caitlin Clark, Marina Mabrey and other players.

Clark got into it with multiple Sun players during the third quarter. Tensions escalated after the reigning Rookie of the Year dribbled the ball past the 3-point line with Jacy Sheldon guarding her.

Sheldon appeared to poke Clark in the eye, and the Fever star retaliated with a two-handed shove. Tina Charles and Mabrey charged towards Clark, and Mabrey shoved the Fever point guard to the floor.

Here's the clip:

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Despite a good chance of getting ejected from the contest, Mabrey stayed in the game. The official crew chief Ashley Gross revealed why Mabrey wasn't issued more than a technical foul.

"The contact made by Mabrey did not rise to the level of an ejection. Additionally, (it) did not meet the criteria for a flagrant foul penalty two."

Clark also received a technical foul, much to the surprise of many fans, considering she hadn't ignited the incident.

Here's what the crew chief said about it:

"After the foul by Sheldon, Clark reacted in an unsportsmanlike manner towards Sheldon."

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever had the last laugh, coming away with an 88-71 win. Indiana avenged its 85-83 loss to Connecticut when the teams met on May 30. Clark finished with 20 points and six assists in her second game back from a quad injury. Meanwhile, Marina Mabrey endured a rough outing with only six points on 2 of 9, including missing all six shots from beyond the arc.

Fever coach Stephanie White on Caitlin Clark's tech in melee involving Marina Mabrey

Stephanie White was unhappy with the referee's decision to issue a tech against Caitlin Clark and the lack of explanation provided.

Here's what the Fever coach said after the game:

"There wasn't an explanation for the tech that she got ... It was pretty obvious that stuff was brewing, right, when the officials don't get control of the ball game. When they allow that stuff to happen, and it's been happening all season long. It's not just this game."

Clark, who was alongside White during the post-game interview, nodded her head in agreement. White said she predicted such an incident in the first quarter after a conversation with the refs. She criticized the officials for not getting the game under control and said they needed to get better going forward.

About the author

Arhaan Raje is an Assistant Content Manager and Senior Writer with Sportskeeda's NBA/WNBA team with four years of experience.

Arhaan focuses on features, trends, listicles, and the latest rumors and reports circling the league's top teams and players. He emphasizes detailed research to create impactful content for readers. A fan of Xs and Os, Arhaan provides technical deep dives in his reporting.

Arhaan completed his bachelor's degree in BBA in Media and Entertainment Management from Mumbai, India.

Arhaan admires the killer mentality of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. He respects LeBron James for being a role model on and off the court. The bold and decisive Gregg Popovich stands out as Arhaan's favorite basketball coach. LeBron's epic chase-down block in the 2016 NBA Finals has a special place in Arhaan's basketball memories.

He has interviewed former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Gary Payton and Ronnie 2K, the face of NBA2k and Marketing Director.

Sports isn't the only passion he has pursued professionally. Arhaan is also into performing arts in the music industry as a percussionist.

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Edited by Arhaan Raje