Angel Reese saw no issue with Chennedy Carter’s unnecessary foul on Caitlin Clark.
In fact, she appeared to celebrate it.
After scoring a basket for the Chicago Sky late in the third quarter on Saturday, Carter came up from behind Clark and checked her to the floor with her shoulder while Clark was waiting for an inbound pass.
“I wasn’t expecting it,” Clark said after the Fever’s thrilling 71-70 win over the Sky. “It is what it is. It’s a physical game. Go make the free throw and execute on offense, and I feel like that’s kind of what we did.”
But when Clark went down, Reese jumped up from the Sky’s bench and applauded her teammate, seemingly for the cheap foul.
“Yeah, that’s just not a basketball play,” Clark said. “But you know I’ve gotta play through it, that’s what basketball is about at this level. I thought we’ve been really physical, we’ve missed some bunnies around the rim, so hopefully those fall in the fourth.”
Later in the game, Reese took her own shot at Clark.
The former LSU star seemingly threw her elbow at Clark late in the fourth quarter, sending her to the floor yet again.
Clark seems to be a target for physical play this season.
“I feel like I’m getting hammered, I don’t know,” Clark said Thursday in a postgame press conference after receiving a technical during the 103-88 blowout loss to the Storm.
Saturday’s win for the Fever marked Clark and Reese’s first matchup in the WNBA, but their rivalry was established during their collegiate careers at Iowa and LSU, respectively.
Reese broke the internet when she gestured to her ring finger in Clark’s face during the 2023 NCAA Tournament final.
The two have maintained that the rivalry is nothing personal, but the more recent fouls against Clark could suggest otherwise.
Clark finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Indiana Fever.
Reese contributed eight points and 13 rebounds for the Sky.
Before Saturday’s matchup, the pair went head-to-head just 61 days ago in the Elite Eight, when Clark’s Hawkeyes overpowered Reese and the Tigers.
It was inevitable for the two to continue the rivalry on the WNBA stage.
Their next matchup will be June 16.
