BREAKING NEWS: Dijonai Carrington has been heavily criticised by pundits for deliberately hitting Caitlin Clark in the eye during the match. (ch)

The WNBA has found itself in the middle of controversy just 90 seconds into the first playoff game of 2024. During the Indiana Fever’s opening matchup against the Connecticut Sun in the best-of-three series, things took a heated turn when Caitlyn Clark, the unanimous Rookie of the Year, was left with a black eye.

It all happened when rival guard Dijonai Carrington appeared to accidentally poke Clark in the right eye. Shockingly, no foul was called despite Clark dropping to the floor in clear pain. Fans erupted on social media, accusing Carrington of foul play, with many believing it was intentional. Even Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy jumped in on the criticism, tweeting, “Why does the WNBA let players wear gigantic nails if they use them as weapons? We’re lucky Caitlyn didn’t lose an eye. No foul call, and she had to play with one eye the rest of the game.”

Clark, who continued to play after the incident, had one of her toughest games since joining the WNBA, shooting just 23.5%. She went four for 17 from the field, including two of 11 from beyond the arc. The Fever, unable to rally behind their star, suffered a crushing 93-69 defeat at the hands of Connecticut, putting them on the brink of elimination. Kelsey Mitchell’s 21 points and Aaliyah Boston’s 11 rebounds were among the few bright spots for Indiana.

Meanwhile, Connecticut, led by Marina Mabrey’s 27 points and Alyssa Thomas’ 15th career triple-double, dominated from start to finish. Despite her off night, Caitlyn Clark didn’t place the blame on the eye injury. After briefly taking a seat on the bench following the poke, Clark chose to push through the pain, contributing eight assists during her 36 minutes on the court. Yet her shooting struggles couldn’t be ignored.

In the postgame press conference, Clark refused to blame Carrington for her tough performance, owning up to the missed shots and rough game. Her determination to continue despite the injury speaks volumes, but fans can’t help but wonder if that eye injury was the real reason for her poor shooting night.

Stay tuned to see if Clark and the Fever can bounce back in the series and avoid an early exit from the playoffs. Subscribe only for Caitlyn Clark.