Hosting the Toronto Tempo, a team as feisty as Indiana itself, the Fever knew Tuesday night’s game was no easy task. Interestingly, this was one of the most complete games this season for them, ending up in a 113-91 win. But it didn’t come without a little jawing and some officiating woes.

With 6:42 remaining on the clock and the score tied at 9-9 in the opening quarter, Lexie Hull was defending Marina Mabrey when Toronto’s Isabelle Harrison passed her the ball. Mabrey was dribbling towards the top of the key when Harrison stepped in to set up a screen. Usually, Hull would squeeze through the screen, but she got stuck between the two Tempo players and was immediately whistled for her first personal foul.

The call immediately frustrated Hull, who was seen shouting in the referee’s direction. In this instance, though, the Fever guard’s complaint made sense.

While Mabrey was passing through Harrison, she moved inwards for a second, making Hull also move and collide with Harrison. But the call stood, and the game moved on. However, this was the only time Mabrey left with a smile on her face. Earlier, it was Hull that left her on the floor, and the referee didn’t listen to the Tempo player.

In the previous Tempo possession, Hull was again defending Mabrey, who was going for a layup. But with a crowded paint, both players collided and fell to the ground with their backs to each other. Hull quickly got up to continue the transition for her team, but Mabrey stayed down, asking the referee why they wouldn’t call the foul. Mabrey was still discussing the incident with the referee before the next possession.

The Fever ended the first quarter with a 26-20 run. Yet this wasn’t the only moment involving the two guards.

Later in the game, during a stoppage in play, Hull was walking towards the referee when Mabrey flicked her pony with her right hand, which struck the Fever guard in her face. No one said anything as they quietly stared at each other, and Tempo’s Temi Fegbenle inserted herself in between the two to avoid the interaction from turning into a full-blown fight. Hull simply laughed it off while walking away.

But here’s the thing: while there is no established rivalry between them, the tension was hardly surprising.

Both Hull and Mabrey thrive in physical, high-pressure situations. Hull serves as one of Indiana’s perimeter defensive anchors, while Mabrey is one of Toronto’s primary scoring threats on the wing. So, whenever the two teams meet, they inevitably spend large stretches of the night battling through screens, absorbing contact, and trying to gain an edge over one another. Probably, Mabrey’s history with the Fever’s Caitlin Clark, when she bumped into her intentionally last season as a Connecticut Sun player, could also be a reason why Hull was already physical with her.

Still, Mabrey finished the game with 18 points and seven assists for Toronto. Hull helped the Fever with six points and four rebounds. But when the final buzzer sounded, it was Hull and the Fever who walked away with the last laugh.

The Fever entered the night riding a three-game winning streak, but those victories came with one concern. Time and time again, Indiana would build double-digit leads in their matchups only to watch opponents fight their way back into the games, turning comfortable nights into tense finishes.

So the biggest takeaway from this game is that this trend never appeared against Toronto.

Instead, the Fever delivered one of their most complete performances of the season, cruising to an 113-91 victory and extending their winning streak, with their output marking a franchise record for points scored in regulation. Next up, the Fever has a home-and-home game with the Atlanta Dream, where Clark will be facing her archrival, Angel Reese.