WNBA officials top off already embarrassing display just minutes after Fever win

There were several eruptions during Tuesday night's Fever-Sun game in Indianapolis, and despite all the dramatics and ill will, nearly everyone can agree on one thing: the officials calling the game made some serious mistakes. One of the most egregious is the fact that the referees did not eject Marina Mabrey for shoving Caitlin Clark to the floor — but ejected Sophie Cunningham for pulling Jacy Sheldon to the ground at the end of the game. To make matters worse, the crew chief's explanation for not upgrading Mabrey's foul against Clark is, at best, laughable.

Granted, the two moments came at different points in the game and under different circumstances. About halfway through the third quarter, Mabrey shoved Clark after Sheldon first poked Clark in the eye, then shoved her, and then was shoved back. Mabrey entered the chat at that point and pushed Clark to the floor and ultimately received a technical foul.

Cunningham's moment came during the last minute of the game, when she put her full body in front of Sheldon as she approached the basket for a breakaway layup, wrapped both arms around her, and pulled Sheldon to the ground.

No one is disputing that both moments were fouls — they clearly were — but plenty of people are upset by what the refs did during the game, and how they tried to justify their decisions after. Crew Chief Ashley Gloss first explained to reporters that Sheldon's foul was upgraded to flagrant due to "contact to Clark's face." Fair.

Then, Gloss was asked why Mabrey received only a technical foul. She said the "contact made by Mabrey did not rise to the level of an ejection" before also adding that said contact "did not meet the criteria for a flagrant foul penalty two." Gloss further added that the "altercation" that ensued after Cunningham's foul was ruled as a fight, which is why Sheldon and Lindsay Allen were both ejected as well.

Stephanie White was not happy with the reffing

As much as fans of both teams were displeased with how the game was called, the Fever's head coach was absolutely incensed by what took place last night. After a reporter asked Clark a question about the game's officiating during the postgame conference, White stepped in and said she would take all questions about the game's officials and what happened on the floor. This was a wise move (and likely kept Clark from adding on any other fines to the night's total).

"There wasn't an explanation for the technical [Clark] got. I think it was pretty obvious stuff was brewing," White said.

She continued, "When the officials don't get control of the ball game, when they allow that stuff to happen - and it has been happening all season long - this is what happens!" White exclaimed. "Everybody's getting better, except the officials. We need to remedy that. I mean, we've heard every coach talk about it. I don't know what the answer is."