Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark was visibly upset during the team's 99-88 loss to the Minnesota Lynx at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Friday. A video that quickly went viral on social media showed an angry Clark shouting as she made her way to the bench.
The incident occurred with 1:54 left in the third quarter, as the Fever trailed 70-60. The 22-year-old rookie left the game for a quick breather but lost her composure on her way to the bench.
Known for wearing her emotions on her sleeve, Clark has often been seen passionately conversing with officials. The former Iowa star appeared furious over apparent missed foul calls and was reportedly heard shouting, "Call the f*king foul" before taking her seat.
Watch the video here:
Clark's frustration likely also stemmed from her team's loss of momentum in the third quarter, after holding a five-point lead at halftime. The Fever entered the break and seemed poised to secure the win against the top-ranked team in the Western Conference.
However, Indiana's hopes were dashed as Christie Sides' team suffered their second consecutive defeat to Cheryl Reeve's team. The primary reason behind the Fever's defeat was the team's inconsistent display on the defensive end.
While Clark (25), Kelsey Mitchell (23) and Aliyah Boston (20) combined for 68 points to boost Indiana's offense, the team played poor defense in the second and third quarters, which ultimately cost them the game
"I think it starts defensively and get a stop. It's hard to win a game when they outscore you by 17 points in a quarter...it's impressive that we got it (deficit) down to one point," Clark said while reflecting on Indiana's loss.
Another record-breaking game for Caitlin Clark
Caitlin Clark is breaking records and minting new milestones at a rate of knots. Even though the Indiana Fever failed to secure its eighth win since the resumption of the league after the Olympic break, the former Iowa standout continued to create history.
Clark broke Kelsey Mitchell's all-time Indiana Fever record for most made three-pointers in a single season. Mitchell made 103 three-point shots in 2023. Clark has knocked down 107 shots from beyond the arc this season.
Furthermore, the 22-year-old dismantled New York Liberty superstar Breanna Stewart's record of most games with at least 20 points, five assists and five rebounds in a season.
The Fever rookie recorded her 13th game of the season with the aforementioned stat line. Breanna recorded 12 such games last season.