The Indiana Fever have been eliminated from the 2026 WNBA playoffs after losing to the defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces, on Thursday, 94-83. Stephanie White and her squad traveled to the Michelob ULTRA Arena for Game 3 of their first-round matchup, but they came up short.
Kelsey Mitchell led the way for the visitors, scoring 23 points. Aliyah Boston had a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double, along with one steal and two blocks. Caitlin Clark chipped in 18 points, four assists, two steals and four blocks.
Reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson scored a game-high 36 points with 10 rebounds and two blocks. Chelsea Gray added 23 points, four rebounds and five assists to help the Aces advance to the next round.
Adding to the disappointment, Coach White was hit with a technical foul early in the second quarter. The Fever coach was trying to challenge a foul call on Lexie Hull. This came after the Indiana guard got tied up with Brianna Turner while they battled for position.
White left the coach’s box and rushed to midcourt yelling at the officials. White was unable to use a coach’s challenge to contest the foul on Hull because the referees did not recognize her request for a timeout before play resumed.
The former WNBA Coach of the Year addressed the incident after the game.
“They weren’t talking to us,” White said, via the Indianapolis Star. “They were running away from us, actually, because I got the technical for trying to go on the court to call a timeout to challenge. The officiating was terrible.”
The WNBA will now review White’s technical foul. If it isn’t rescinded, White will have to pay a $500 fine under WNBA rules.
Las Vegas will now wait for its next opponent. They will face either the Golden State Valkyries or the Dallas Wings, who will battle it out on Friday in Game 3 of their series.
