A late call puts the Fever under pressure
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever escaped Atlanta with a dramatic overtime win. One late sequence involving Clark and Rhyne Howard quickly became the focus of attention.
The foul call gave Atlanta a chance to narrow the gap in the final seconds. What happened next helped determine how the tightly contested game ended.
Indiana and Atlanta met again
Indiana and Atlanta entered their fourth regular-season meeting with playoff positioning at stake in the Eastern Conference. The Dream had won 2 of the previous 3 meetings during the 2026 season, giving Atlanta a 2-1 series lead entering the matchup.
The Dream entered the contest with a two-game winning streak, while Indiana had won 3 straight games. The matchup featured several major contributors, including Caitlin Clark, Rhyne Howard, Angel Reese, Allisha Gray, and Kelsey Mitchell.
Atlanta established an early advantage
Atlanta led 44-40 at halftime after holding Indiana to 40 points through the opening two quarters. Allisha Gray scored nine points during the second quarter, helping the Dream maintain its four-point advantage entering halftime.
Angel Reese also contributed during the first half while dealing with foul trouble. She was called for her third personal foul with 1:31 remaining in the second quarter, but Atlanta still carried its lead into the second half.
Indiana responded late in regulation
Atlanta carried its advantage into the final quarter after building momentum during the third period. Indiana then mounted a strong fourth-quarter response, while its defense limited Atlanta’s scoring opportunities during the closing stretch.
The Dream scored only nine points in the fourth quarter, allowing Indiana to erase the deficit. The teams finished regulation tied 81-81 after Atlanta missed three attempts during its final possession.
Atlanta had multiple chances to win
Atlanta had 13.8 seconds to create a potential winning opportunity during the final possession of regulation. Rhyne Howard missed a 29-foot 3-pointer, and Angel Reese collected the offensive rebound before missing her layup attempt.
Naz Hillmon grabbed the next rebound and missed a 4-foot shot with 0.8 seconds remaining. The miss left the score tied 81-81 and sent the Fever and Dream into overtime.
Clark led Indiana’s scoring effort
Caitlin Clark finished the game with 26 points and 9 assists, leading Indiana in scoring during the overtime victory. Her production came as the Fever received significant contributions from multiple players throughout the contest.
Indiana had 4 players finish with at least 18 points against Atlanta. The Fever also scored 48 points in the paint, compared with 36 for the Dream, according to the game’s official statistics.
Indiana created separation in overtime
Indiana took an 87-83 lead with 2:57 remaining in overtime after Atlanta committed turnovers on consecutive possessions. The Fever later extended their advantage to 89-83 before Atlanta answered with a Naz Hillmon layup.
Rhyne Howard then completed a three-point play, cutting Atlanta’s deficit to 91-88 with 1:10 remaining. After both teams missed shots, Indiana called a timeout with 23.4 seconds left, setting up Kelsey Mitchell’s basket.
Fun fact: The Golden State Valkyries have set the all-time WNBA attendance record for average attendance (18,064) and total fans (397,408) during their inaugural regular season presented by Kaiser Permanente, and have sold out all 22 regular-season home games at Chase Center in 2025.
Howard’s three-point attempt changed the ending
Mitchell’s basket put Indiana ahead 93-88 with the game approaching its final seconds. Atlanta then moved the ball to Howard, who attempted a three-pointer while Clark defended the play.
Officials called Clark for a shooting foul with about 10 seconds remaining in overtime. Howard received three free throws and converted all of them, cutting Indiana’s lead to 93-91 and keeping Atlanta within one possession.
Interesting fact: The WNBA reached a new attendance record in 2026, as 20,996 fans packed the Bell Centre in Montreal to watch the Tempo take on the Dallas Wings.
The foul call was reviewed
Officials reviewed the late foul before Atlanta’s free throws were completed, but the original ruling remained in place. ESPN broadcasters Ryan Ruocco and Rebecca Lobo questioned whether the contact would be enough for the foul to stand, according to postgame reports.
Because the ruling was upheld, Howard retained all three free throws. The sequence reduced Indiana’s advantage to two points and left Atlanta with an opportunity to force another possession.
Clark answered at the free-throw line
After Howard’s three successful free throws, Clark returned to the line with Indiana leading 93-91. She converted both attempts with 9.8 seconds remaining, giving the Fever a 95-91 advantage.
Atlanta then needed a three-pointer to continue the game. Isobel Borlase attempted the shot with six seconds left, but the three-pointer missed, allowing Indiana to secure the overtime victory.
Atlanta received a big performance from Gray
Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 32 points, matching her career high during the loss. Rhyne Howard finished with 17 points, while Angel Reese recorded 15 points and 14 rebounds for the Dream.
Atlanta’s offense struggled from the field despite Gray’s scoring output. The Dream shot 35.4% overall, missing 53 of 82 field-goal attempts during the 95-91 overtime defeat.
The victory strengthened Indiana’s position
Indiana entered the matchup first in the Eastern Conference with a 22-12 record, while Atlanta was second with a 21-12 record. The teams were separated by a narrow margin as the regular season moved toward its final weeks.
The Fever’s overtime victory gave Indiana 4 consecutive wins and extended its strong recent stretch. Atlanta’s two-game winning streak ended, while the Dream remained closely involved in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The internet is also talking about how Robert Griffin III puts Caitlin Clark ahead of A’ja Wilson in bold MVP call.
The victory strengthened Indiana’s position
The late foul became the primary officiating discussion surrounding Indiana’s 95-91 overtime victory. Howard received three free throws after the ruling stood, while Clark immediately answered by making two free throws on Indiana’s next possession.
The Fever ultimately closed out the game without allowing another scoring play. Indiana and Atlanta split their four regular-season meetings, adding another closely contested result to the 2026 Eastern Conference playoff race.
In other news, Angel Reese is being judged for all the wrong reasons.
What do you think about the late foul call on Caitlin Clark? Let us know your take in the comments, and like this slideshow if you want to see more WNBA game breakdowns.
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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