Emotions ran high Thursday night as the Indiana Fever battled the Atlanta Dream in a heated WNBA rematch, just two days after their last clash came down to the wire, as per Fox News.
While the Fever ultimately pulled off a 81–76 comeback victory, a first-quarter altercation between stars Caitlin Clark and Rhyne Howard stole the spotlight early in the game.
With under 30 seconds left in the opening quarter, Clark and Howard had to be separated after a physical and verbal exchange. Howard was guarding Clark with full-court pressure as the Fever guard brought the ball up the court. After the whistle blew, the two bumped shoulders and appeared to exchange words, each extending an arm before teammates intervened.
Despite Thursday’s flare-up, the two shared a lighter moment earlier this month during a preseason matchup when Howard playfully tugged Clark’s ear following the final buzzer — a gesture that sparked laughter from both.
Tensions have lingered between the teams after Tuesday night’s 91–90 win by Atlanta, and this latest confrontation only added fuel to a budding rivalry. Adding to the drama, Thursday’s scuffle came just five days after Clark was involved in another heated incident with Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, during which Clark was assessed a flagrant foul. Reese later shared concerns about her safety in Indiana following hostile fan behavior.
On the court, Clark had a quiet night offensively, scoring just six points through the first three quarters. She added five more in the final period to finish with 11 points. Her teammate Natasha Howard led the Fever with 26 points, while Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard posted 24.
Down 75–71 with just over two minutes to play, the Fever closed the game on a 10–1 run to secure the win and improve their early season standing.
The Indiana Fever now turn their attention to a Saturday afternoon showdown with the defending WNBA champion New York Liberty. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. ET in Indianapolis.
