Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark expressed dismay over the behavior of some of the team's fans towards head coach Stephanie White, stating it made her "sick" just hours after White delivered a passionate defense of her coaching. The remarks came Tuesday night following the Fever's 106-92 win over the New York Liberty.

White had faced criticism in recent days, with some fans suggesting she had not been supportive enough of player Sophie Cunningham after a hard foul. In a two-and-a-half-minute pre-game press conference, White addressed these accusations directly, calling attempts to suggest she was "hijacking" the league "hate, fearmongering, [and] divisiveness."

"The reality is, with me, I will always lead with love. I will always lead with grace. I will always lead with humility, and I will always lead with integrity. Doesn't mean I'll always get it right. I'm also human," White stated. She emphasized unity within the team, asserting, "Every day these women put their ass on the line. Every day. When they go low, we go high. Love will win. Grace will win. Humility will win. And kindness will win."

Despite the coach's strong words, some boos were heard from the crowd at Gainbridge Arena as White took the floor. Clark, who has experienced her own share of public scrutiny this season, was direct in her post-game assessment.

"I hated that our fans booed her before the game. That made me a little sick, to be honest," Clark said during the postgame press conference. "There was no way we were losing this game for her. We're going to ride for her, and we're always going to have her back."

The Indiana Fever secured their seventh win in the last nine games, with Kelsey Mitchell leading the scoring with 28 points, including 20 in the first half. Clark contributed 22 points and 10 assists, while Aliyah Boston added 19 points and seven rebounds. Sophie Cunningham chipped in 12 points, making four three-pointers.

The team's strong performance saw them take a 64-46 halftime lead. Although the Liberty made a comeback attempt in the third quarter, the Fever maintained control, ending the period with an 87-67 advantage. The team shot 59 percent from the field and 79 percent from three-point range.

For the Liberty, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu each scored 19 points, and Jonquel Jones recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds.