Cooler heads did NOT prevail.
WNBA fight night: three players tossed in wild Sky-Sun showdown originally appeared on The Sporting News
Fisticuffs took place on the court. A tense Wednesday night in the WNBA turned chaotic when a dust-up in the first half of the Chicago Sky and Connecticut Sun game left three players walking to the locker room early. What began as a routine foul suddenly became the night’s biggest storyline.
The spark
The drama ignited when Connecticut’s Bria Hartley committed a hard foul that sent Chicago’s Rebecca Allen to the court. In the scramble, Allen clutched Hartley’s jersey, setting off an exchange of shouts.
WNBA FIGHT 🚨
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The Malice at the Palace… but WNBA edition 😳🥊 pic.twitter.com/fsdkPvPV4P
Before the officials could intervene, Chicago guard Ariel Atkins charged into the fray to stand up for Allen, sparking a scene that had players, referees, and coaches scrambling to restore order.
Quick and costly consequences
After reviewing the footage, the officiating crew hit all three with technical fouls and sent them to the showers. Chicago, now down to eight available players, struggled to recover as Connecticut used the disruption to fuel a 13-5 scoring burst, taking a 44-28 advantage into halftime.
MORE: Minnesota Lynx become first team in WNBA to punch their ticket in 2025
Eyes on the league office
The league will decide whether further punishment, likely fines, is coming for those involved. For the Sky, the timing is brutal as they fight to avoid another loss in what has already been a rough stretch.
Chicago will next home the Golden State Valkyries on Friday, and then stay home for a meeting against the Seattle Storm on August 21. Connecticut takes on Indiana Sunday, and then heads to Washington to play the Mystics in the first of back-to-back meetings.
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Category: Basketball
