Caitlin Clark picks up technical foul in Fever-Aces Game 2

INDIANA FEVERCaitlin ClarkAdd TopicCaitlin Clark technical foul sparks first-half double-double, then Fever star fouls out Meghan L. HallUSA TODAYUpdated Sept. 29, 2026, 9:09 p.m. ETHear this storyCaitlin Clark picked up her first technical foul of the 2026 WNBA playoffs and eventually fouled out … but not before putting up a historic performance.

On Tuesday evening, the Indiana Fever guard was assessed a technical foul after she received an offensive foul for pushing Las Vegas Aces guard Mai Yamamoto at the 8:33 mark of the second quarter of Game 2 on Sept. 29. Clark appeared to wave off the referee after the initial foul call. It’s unclear if she said something to the nearby official to warrant the technical. The Fever went on a 28-14 run after Clark’s tech. They had trailed 29-20.

Clark and the Fever had been trading baskets and fouls with the Aces in the first half. Turnovers also became an issue, too. Clark had four of them by herself. She had two fouls in the first half. However, at halftime, Clark was rolling. She had 14 points and 11 assists, becoming the first player in WNBA postseason history to have a points-and-assists double-double in one half. Indiana led 48-43 at the break.

“Just trying to play fast. I think creating turnovers is helping us a lot on offense, so keep going (in) the second half,” Clark said on her historic first half.

Clark and Indiana were facing elimination after losing 102-85 to Las Vegas in Game 1 on Sept. 27. Aces center A’ja Wilson powered her team to victory as she recorded 38 points, 16 rebounds, four blocks and two steals to lift the Aces to a 1-0 lead over the Fever in the best-of-three playoff series.

The Fever’s Big 3 of Kelsey Mitchell (12 points), Clark (15 points, 10 assists) and Aliyah Boston (18 points and eight rebounds) were outplayed by the Aces’ Big 3 of Wilson, Jackie Young (21 points, 10 assists) and Gray (14 points, eight assists) on Sunday. Fever head coach Stephanie White pointed to “experience.”

“Certainly there’s no substitute for experience,” Fever coach White said following the loss. “Give Vegas credit. They’re defending champions for a reason. They understand the moment. They understand that playoffs require … a different level of intensity and urgency, and they came with it. This is what they’re supposed to do. They’re supposed to win game one. Now we have to be able to bounce back and go home and pick up a win.”

Clark had a brilliant game, finishing with 27 points, 15 assists and 7 rebounds. But fouls remained an issue for her. She fouled out of the game with 2:45 left in the fourth quarter after picking up her sixth in Indiana’s 99-89 win.

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