The Indiana Fever expected a tough match up in their first game back after the WNBA returned this week following an extended break for the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

And that’s exactly what they got when they stepped on the court to face the Phoenix Mercury on Friday night. 

"You knew they were going to come in here with a lot of confidence, with three people that have won gold medals," Caitlin Clark said after the Fever’s 98-89 victory at home. 

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"You know their confidence is really high, and I thought we came out and really set the tone."

Matching the confidence level was the physicality on the floor. 

Two scuffles broke out during the game, including a shoving match that erupted in the third quarter between Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell and Natasha Cloud of the Mercury.

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Mitchell appeared to go down by the three-point line after contact from Cloud, and immediately turned around to shove her opponent. The two briefly got into a back-and-forth before being separated by players and coaches, resulting in double technical fouls.

"You got to get a little gritty and dirty, obviously," Mitchell told reporters of the game’s physicality. "I had a moment myself with T. Cloud and hats off to her for being a competitor, but I think it kind of helped us. The grit and the game and those third quarters and when team’s make runs is how you win a game in the WNBA. You’ve gotta be gritty." 

Cloud also spoke about the incident post-game. 

"I have nothing but love for her . . . that’s just the competitiveness of the game." 

Another minor scuffle between Brittney Griner and Aliyah Boston also unfolded, but no technical fouls were given out. 

The Fever play next against the Seattle Storm on Sunday. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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