Latest news with #flagrantfoul
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fever's Sophie Cunningham slapped with controversial flagrant foul on Paige Bueckers
The post Fever's Sophie Cunningham slapped with controversial flagrant foul on Paige Bueckers appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Indiana Fever are taking on the Dallas Wings in the hopes of remaining in the playoff hunt. However, guard Sophie Cunningham committed a flagrant foul on rookie Paige Bueckers early on in the contest that was a rather controversial call. Cunningham went to contest Bueckers' three-point shot but ended up getting a bit too close to the Wings guard. As a result, Sophie Cunningham stepped into Bueckers' zone, causing the 23-year-old rookie to land on Cunningham's foot. That's something that is not allowed, and the referees called a foul. However, things took a turn when officials called a flagrant foul on Sophie Cunningham. The play didn't look intentional, but the referees felt it was necessary to call it. As a result, Bueckers got three free-throw attempts while the Wings also got the ball back, according to Fever reporter Tony East. 'Flagrant ruling indeed. Paige with a trio of free throws, then Wings ball.' Typically, flagrant fouls are called when the officials determine the act was intentional, or if one player hits another on the head. Neither of those situations occurred, which is what makes the call controversial. At the very least, Sophie Cunningham was not ejected from the contest, but the Fever star cannot commit another flagrant or technical foul, as a second one would remove her from the game. Tuesday's flagrant foul call is Sophie Cunningham's second this season. The first came against the Connecticut Sun when she went viral for getting into a spat with several Sun players after they hit Caitlin Clark with hard fouls earlier in the contest. That was deemed a flagrant 2, and Cunningham was removed from the game immediately. So far this season, Cunningham has averaged 8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game while owning a 48.1% field goal percentage and shooting 43.9% from beyond the three-point line (stats do not include Tuesday's game vs. the Wings). She has played well for the Fever so far, as she has played a key role off the bench. Related: WNBA viewership, attendance increase slightly despite Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese absence Related: Sun's Marina Mabrey breaks silence on viral Caitlin Clark altercation
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WNBA upgrades Marina Mabrey foul on Caitlin Clark to Flagrant 2 from Fever vs. Sun
The WNBA has ruled no suspensions will be enforced from the scuffle in the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun game, but the foul against Caitlin Clark was upgraded to a Flagrant 2. Late in the third quarter of the contest, Clark was dribbling around the perimeter when Sun guard Jacy Sheldon made contact with Clark's face. The Fever star was frustrated and shoved Sheldon. But immediately afterward, Sun forward Marina Mabrey jumped in and pushed Clark down on the floor. It resulted in a mild dustup between both teams on the court. Advertisement The officials reviewed the play and ruled a flagrant foul on Sheldon, with double technical fouls assessed to Clark and Connecticut center Tina Charles. Mabrey was charged with a technical foul, which confused the broadcast crew and viewers as the excessive contact was grounds for ejection. Now, Mabrey's technical foul has been upgraded to a Flagrant 2, the WNBA confirmed to IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network. After the game, crew chief Ashley Gloss said in a pool report conducted by IndyStar "the contact made by Mabrey did not rise to the level of an ejection. Additionally, (it) did not meet the criteria for a flagrant foul penalty two." Clark and Charles were each given technical fouls for acting in an "unsportsmanlike manner." Advertisement Had Mabrey's Flagrant 2 been called in the game, she would have been ejected. She will face the standard fine for Flagrant 2. Sophie Cunningham faces additional fine The incident between Clark, Sheldon and Mabrey wasn't the only incident in the chippy game. In the final minute of the quarter, Sheldon was going for a layup when Fever guard Sophie Cunningham wrapped her arms around her and pulled her to the ground. Sheldon immediately got up and teammate Lindsay Allen joined her in confronting Cunningham. A scuffle broke out between the three players as teammates and security attempted to break up the incident. The play was reviewed and Cunningham was assessed a Flagrant 2 and ejected, while Sheldon and Allen were also assessed technical fouls for fighting and were also ejected. Advertisement The league added an additional fine to Cunningham on top of the standard Flagrant 2 fine she received. No players will be suspended as a result of the game's incidents. Indiana won the contest 88-71 to clinch a spot in the Commissioner's Cup championship game. Contributing: Chloe Peterson, Indianapolis Star This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA upgrades foul on Caitlin Clark from Fever-Sun game
Al Arabiya
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Marina Mabrey's foul on Caitlin Clark upgraded to Flagrant-2, AP source says
The WNBA has upgraded the technical foul on Connecticut's Marina Mabrey for shoving Caitlin Clark to the floor during Tuesday's night game against Indiana to a Flagrant-2, a person familiar with the situation said Wednesday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no official announcement had been made. Any flagrant foul comes with an automatic fine. The person also said the league has fined the Fever's Sophie Cunningham for her role in the on-court melee that occurred after she fouled Jacy Sheldon with 46.1 seconds left. Cunningham received a Flagrant-2 Tuesday night. There will be no further penalties for on-court actions during the game, the person said. The WNBA doesn't disclose the amount of money players are fined. The play at the end of the game was the culmination of tensions that had been building throughout. Mabrey's technical followed a skirmish in the third quarter. Sheldon poked Caitlin Clark in the eye while defending her. Clark pushed Sheldon away, and Mabrey forcefully pushed Clark, knocking the star guard to the ground. Clark and Tina Charles were also assessed technical fouls. In a pool report, official Ashley Gloss said the contact made by Mabrey didn't rise to the level of an ejection or meet the criteria for a Flagrant-2. After the contest, both teams said missed calls and poor game management by the officials led to the melee at the end. Fever coach Stephanie White said bad officiating is a league-wide issue and that everybody (in the WNBA) is getting better except the officials. 'I started talking to the officials in the first quarter, and we knew this was going to happen,' White said. 'You could tell it was going to happen. So they've got to get control of it. They've got to be better.'
The Guardian
18-06-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
WNBA to hand out fines after skirmishes and hard fouls in Fever's stormy win over the Sun
The WNBA has upgraded the technical foul on Connecticut's Marina Mabrey for shoving Caitlin Clark to the floor during Tuesday's night game against Indiana to a Flagrant-2, a source told the Associated Press on Wednesday. Any flagrant foul comes with an automatic fine. The person also said the league has fined the Fever's Sophie Cunningham for her role in the on-court melee that occurred after she fouled Jacy Sheldon with 46.1 seconds left. Cunningham received a Flagrant-2 during Tuesday night's game, which Indiana won 88-71. There will be no further penalties for on-court actions during the game, the source said. The WNBA doesn't disclose the amount of money players are fined. The play at the end of the game was the culmination of tensions that had been building throughout the evening. Mabrey's technical followed a skirmish in the third quarter. Sheldon poked Caitlin Clark in the eye while defending her. Clark pushed Sheldon away and Mabrey forcefully pushed Clark, knocking the star guard to the ground. Clark and Tina Charles were also assessed technical fouls. After the game, official Ashley Gloss said the contact made by Mabrey didn't rise to the level of an ejection or meet the criteria for a Flagrant-2. After the contest, both teams said missed calls and poor game management by the officials led to the melee at the end. Fever coach Stephanie White said 'bad officiating' is a leaguewide issue and that 'everybody [in the WNBA'[] is getting better, except the officials.' She added: 'I started talking to the officials in the first quarter, and we knew this was going to happen. You could tell it was going to happen. So, they've got to get control of it. They've got to be better.' Connecticut center Olivia Nelson-Ododa was also critical of the refereeing during her team's loss. 'Obviously, there was a physical game tonight. I think when things aren't managed well to begin with that it tends to get out of hand,' she said. 'I feel like a lot of stuff was escalating throughout the game, and that's what happens when you don't make the proper calls or officiate the game and manage it the right way.' Meanwhile, Clark refused to be drawn into a debate on the subject. 'You guys came for basketball; let's talk about basketball,' she told reporters after the game. Tuesday's storyline comes as the tough physical play in the WNBA this season has become a talking point. While some have blamed officials, others have said the WNBA has always been a physical league, and is only coming under scrutiny due to larger audiences watching star players such as Clark. The win means the Fever will play Minnesota Lynx in the final of the Commissioner's Cup, the WNBA's in-season tournament, on 1 July. 'Obviously, we're excited. It's a big deal,' Clark said of making the final. 'It's a hard thing to do, and why wouldn't we celebrate that? We're getting to play for a pool of money – that's pretty fun – and you're competing to win a trophy. It's an extra game for us to get better, as well.'
Associated Press
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Marina Mabrey's foul on Caitlin Clark upgraded to Flagrant-2, AP source says
The WNBA has upgraded the technical foul on Connecticut's Marina Mabrey for shoving Caitlin Clark to the floor during Tuesday's night game against Indiana to a Flagrant-2, a person familiar with the situation said Wednesday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no official announcement had been made. Any flagrant foul comes with an automatic fine. The person also said the league has fined the Fever's Sophie Cunningham for her role in the on-court melee that occurred after she fouled Jacy Sheldon with 46.1 seconds left. Cunningham received a Flagrant-2 Tuesday night. There will be no further penalties for on-court actions during the game, the person said. The WNBA doesn't disclose the amount of money players are fined. The play at the end of the game was the culmination of tensions that had been building throughout. Mabrey's technical followed a skirmish in the third quarter. Sheldon poked Caitlin Clark in the eye while defending her. Clark pushed Sheldon away and Mabrey forcefully pushed Clark, knocking the star guard to the ground. Clark and Tina Charles were also assessed technical fouls. In a pool report, official Ashley Gloss said the contact made by Mabrey didn't rise to the level of an ejection or meet the criteria for a Flagrant-2. After the contest, both teams said missed calls and poor game management by the officials led to the melee at the end. Fever coach Stephanie White said 'bad officiating' is a leaguewide issue and that 'everybody (in the WNBA) is getting better, except the officials.' 'I started talking to the officials in the first quarter, and we knew this was going to happen,' White said. 'You could tell it was going to happen. So, they've got to get control of it. They've got to be better.' ___ AP WNBA:
