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Fever Headed to Commissioner’s Cup Final After Heated Win Against Sun
The Indiana Fever are celebrating their spot in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final after an 88-71 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday. The game, however, was marred by a late-game scuffle that resulted in multiple player ejections.
Led by star Caitlin Clark, the Fever are now set to face the Minnesota Lynx on July 1st with a chance to take home both the Commissioner’s Cup trophy and a hefty $500,000 prize. The New York Liberty’s 86-81 win over the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday cemented Indiana’s place in the final.
Indiana finished the Commissioner’s Cup preliminary round with a 4-1 record, topping the Eastern Conference. While the Liberty matched that record, the Fever held the tiebreaker thanks to a dominant 102-88 victory over New York on June 14, marking Clark’s return after a five-game injury absence. The Fever also earned $13,000 for the Peace Learning Center.
“Obviously, we’re excited,” Clark said about reaching the final. “It’s a big deal.
We’re getting to play for a substantial amount of money, which is pretty fun, and we’re competing for a trophy. It’s an extra game for us to improve as well.”
Looking ahead, Clark emphasized the team’s focus on their upcoming West Coast road trip. The Fever face a demanding schedule, with games against the Golden State Warriors, Las Vegas Aces, and Seattle Storm before returning home to host the Los Angeles Sparks on June 26. The following day, they travel to Dallas to face the Wings before heading to Minnesota for the Commissioner’s Cup final against the Lynx, who earned home-court advantage due to a superior winning percentage in Cup games.
“Our focus now turns to this West Coast swing and those three games,” Clark explained. “We’re focused on continuing to improve. We’ve put two good games together, but we can’t afford to take a step back.”
Fever head coach Stephanie White was critical of the officiating during the game against the Sun, which saw Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham and Connecticut’s Lindsay Allen and Jacy Sheldon ejected after a fourth-quarter altercation. Tensions had been building throughout the game, with Sheldon involved in several heated exchanges with Clark.
“It was pretty obvious that stuff was brewing,” White stated post-game. “When the officials don’t get control of the game, when they allow that stuff to happen – and it’s been happening all season long – this is what happens.”