Three ejected after massive brawl erupts during Indiana Fever vs Connecticut Sun game following foul on Caitlin Clark

The Indiana Fever’s 88-71 win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse booked their spot in the Commissioner’s Cup final, but it has also erupted into one of the WNBA's ugliest confrontations this season.

With three players ejected and tempers flaring. The game began as a highly physical contest, and morphed into a dramatic reminder of just how high the stakes are this summer.

A brawl breaks out in the Fever-Sun game, leading to three ejections

The Commissioner's Cup matchup took a wild turn in the third quarter when Caitlin Clark found herself at the center of escalating friction with Sun guards Jacy Sheldon and Marina Mabrey. After Sheldon poked Clark in the eye during a pass attempt, the rookie star responded instinctively.

A push from Clark was quickly answered by Sheldon, triggering both benches to stir as players rushed in. Tina Charles intervened immediately, trying to break things up, but Mabrey’s late entry only worsened matters, chesting up and knocking Clark down, sending her tumbling into a referee.

After review, the officiating crew assessed a technical foul on Clark, a flagrant 1 on Sheldon, and technicals to Charles and Mabrey.

But that wouldn’t be the end.In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, Fever guard Sophie Cunningham committed a hard foul on Sheldon, prompting an outright brawl. Cunningham was hit with a flagrant 2 and ejected, while Sheldon and Sun veteran Lindsay Allen were also tossed from the game. As the altercation unfolded, the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd voiced their outrage, booing loudly when Mabrey checked back in.On the NBA TV broadcast, commentator Debbie Antonelli didn’t mince words about the officiating, "I’m blaming this all on the officials tonight. It is totally their responsibility… If they had taken care of business earlier we wouldn’t be in this situation right now... I’m exhausted with this game and the officiating. Players want consistency. Thankfully nobody got hurt," (via Sports Illustrated).Earlier in the game, Sun rookie Aneesah Morrow picked up a technical foul for bouncing the ball high in frustration, an infraction initially missed by the refs but pointed out by Clark.

According to IndyStar’s Chloe Peterson, the officials only reacted after Clark flagged it. Ironically, Clark herself was handed her second technical foul of the season later on for her involvement in the third-quarter altercation, putting her closer to the WNBA’s disciplinary threshold.Also Read: Caitlin Clark was inches away from losing her cool as unprofessional reporter’s behavior provoked her hilarious reactionDespite the on-court fireworks, Clark put up a solid stat line, adding 20 points, 6 assists, 1 rebound, and 4 turnovers on 6-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-6 from deep.The Fever are now 6-5 and will hit the road for a three-game West Coast swing.