Chennedy Carter dismisses Caitlin Clark’s questions about an incident with the Fever star in the game

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever’s matinee matchup against the Chicago Sky was all about the long-awaited showdown between Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. All three freshmen were top seven picks in the draft. Clark and Cardoso played for the 2024 NCAA national title in April. Clark and Reese had the “you can’t see me” incident in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. This game, however, will be remembered for the incident between Caitlin Clark and Chennedy Carter.

But at the end of the Fever’s 71-70 win on Saturday, most of the attention was on Clark and Sky’s fourth-year guard Chennedy Carter. It all happened late in the third quarter. With about 16 seconds left, Carter shoulder-butted Clark on a throw-in, sending him to the ground. The referees did not call a technical or intentional foul. Instead, it was ruled a regular foul and Clark shot a free throw.

Carter, the 2020 first-round pick, did this after dropping a check. It looked like she snapped at Clark before the check.

“I’m not answering any questions from Caitlin Clark,” Carter said afterward. “I didn’t say anything.”

“I didn’t expect that,” Clark said later. “But I think it’s just that you just have to react, come down and let your game speak for itself. It’s a physical game, you have to make the free throw and then execute on offense. I think that’s what we did. But you know, it is what it is, I don’t know.”

More information on the Caitlin Clark-Chennedy Carter incident

The play before that seemed to set up the exchange. Fever teammate Aliyah Boston grabbed three offensive rebounds in five seconds. And Boston snatched the last rebound from Carter’s hands and scored to put the Fever ahead by six points. Caitlin Clark turned her head in Carter’s direction immediately after the basket and it looked like she said something, but that is unconfirmed.

Early in the game, Carter took the ball from Clark before it reached Boston.

“I don’t know what she said,” Carter said.

Fever gets first home win against Sky

Regardless, the game went into the fourth quarter and was exciting right up until the end. Cardoso’s playing time was limited as it was her debut after a preseason injury. Nevertheless, she made an impression in the 18 minutes she was on the court, hitting 5 of 7 shots for 11 points. One fatal mistake, however, was a foul on her former South Carolina-Boston teammate with 1:19 left.

Boston made the and-1 basket and the free throw to give the Fever a 71-67 lead. Chicago’s Marina Mabrey could have tied it with six seconds left, but missed one of her free throws. From there, Erica Wheeler and Clark helped run down the clock and give the Fever their first home win of the season. Her Fever colleague Kelsey Mitchell also played a key role in the important points.

Reese scored eight points and was inefficient on two of nine shooting, but also grabbed 13 rebounds. Carter ended up leading the Sky with 19 points and got hot in the second half with 13 points and six baskets made. Mitchell led the Fever with 18 points, forward NaLyssa Smith trailed with 17 points, and then Clark came in with 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists. She hit two three-pointers.

Saturday also marked the start of the Commissioner’s Cup. The Fever finished 2-8 and last in the Eastern Conference in the Cup last season, but they started 1-0 this season, ending a three-game losing streak. The Fever next play at the New York Liberty on Sunday, in their second consecutive schedule. They have lost to the Fever twice so far this year.

But for now, the Fever picked up their first home win with some dramatic flair.