What goes down must come up! And the Indiana Fever is officially up. They’re now over .500 for the first time since June 17. But the cherry on top? They did it against the Las Vegas Aces. Why’s that such a big deal? Well, the Fever finally snapped a massive 16-game losing streak to the Aces – a streak that had been haunting them since 2020. It was the second-longest losing streak in WNBA history between two teams. And to make things even sweeter, they pulled it off on a night when it felt like the refs were doing everything in their power to tilt the floor in Vegas’ favor.

We all know Indy hasn’t had the smoothest start this season. From injury after injury to surprise exits and Caitlin Clark being sidelined for multiple games – it’s been a rough ride. But July is looking like their month. They kicked things off with that big Commissioner’s Cup win and just kept rolling. Against the Aces, they came out swinging and didn’t stop. By halftime, they were up by 22, and they never looked back. The final score was a wild 81-54 blowout that screamed revenge and redemption. Even without their superstar, the Fever looked absolutely locked in.

Stephanie White’s crew owned the ground. Right from tip-off, the offense was smooth as butter. On defense, it was even better. The Fever put on an absolute clinic with their ball-screen actions, and the Aces were clearly rattled. Vegas shot a rough 25.8% in the first half while Indiana was getting whatever they wanted in the paint. 

White threw in a two-point-guard lineup in the second quarter, and it worked like a charm. Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson were running the show, while Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, and Natasha Howard handled the fireworks. Late in the third, Sophie Cunningham picked off a pass, dashed down the floor, and nailed a layup that made Hammon slam the timeout button.

But the most controversial moment of that quarter and actually the game came at 3:54. With Indiana sitting on a comfortable 55-38 lead, Cunningham put up a shot that didn’t fall. Hull leapt for the rebound, but right behind her was Wilson. Now, Wilson went up for it too, but the way she came in from behind? A whole lot of people, including the announcers, saw that as an obvious over-the-back foul.

If you’re not familiar, that’s when a player jumps into someone’s back or pushes them out of rebound position from behind. You can reach over someone cleanly for a board, but the second you’re using your body for leverage or making illegal contact, it’s a foul. Well, this one sure looked like it to many. Slow-mo replays didn’t help Wilson’s case either. 

Hull and the rest of the Fever crew went straight to the refs to plead their case. But, nothing. No whistle, no call. And that’s when the internet exploded. Fans were already iffy about some calls earlier in the game that seemed to favor Vegas, but this was the tipping point. 

Was A’ja Wilson favored? Officiating drama overshadows the Fever blowout

One fan went off after a missed call, writing, “Not a foul? Great job @wnba daily reminder your refs are trash.” That wasn’t just some random outburst. That frustration is starting to feel like something deeper. It’s not just the usual “bad call” complaints. It’s a pattern. A real, game-altering one. The kind that doesn’t just tick off fans, but might be holding the whole league back. Because this isn’t an isolated moment. Fever has been questioned, too, and has had issues in earlier games as well.

Even head coach Stephanie White called it out. “When the officials don’t get control of the ball game, when they allow stuff to happen, and it’s been happening all season long,” she said. So this one missed call might’ve just been the final straw for fans. Another fan chimed in with, “A’ja gets a 2 & 1 every time she drives to the basket. How is that possible? These WNBA refs are awful.” 

It’s not hard to see where that’s coming from. A’ja was the only thing keeping Vegas afloat in the first half. The rest of the Aces couldn’t buy a bucket. While the team shot a miserable 2-of-18 over the opening 20 minutes, Wilson scored 17 of their 24 first-half points. She finished with 29 points on 9-of-18 shooting. But the way she kept getting to the line had fans scratching their heads. It’s not that Wilson isn’t elite; she is. But when every other drive ends in an and-one, people start to wonder. 

One fan dropped the sarcasm and went straight for the shade, saying, “Are the refs scared of her?!?!” Even the third-quarter comeback attempt got dragged too. Vegas opened with a 6-0 run, and A’ja managed to chip the lead down to 13, but even that had fans side-eyeing the refs. Some pointed out that the shift in momentum coincided with a couple of questionable no-calls that went Vegas’ way. 

“Now that’s not fair, the refs are helping out the Aces as well,” one fan posted. Lexie Hull and Mitchell came right back with those two huge threes. But the history of late-game collapses had fans holding their breath. Indiana kept pushing, though, and by the end, the Aces looked flat-out defeated. But still, the officiating left a bitter taste.

Then came the most brutal take of the night: “This would be a forty-point blowout if these dirty a– refs called this game right… cheaters.” The Fever was that dominant. Mitchell dropped 25, Boston added 20, and Natasha Howard chipped in 11 points. But what really stung was the idea that the refs were the only thing keeping it from being a complete embarrassment for Vegas.  

And when you start comparing the W’s officiating setup to the NBA, it’s hard not to see the cracks. The NBA has a whole off-site replay center, completely separate from the refs on the court. It’s designed to remove bias and give fresh eyes a chance to get things right. The WNBA relies on the same on-court officials who made the initial call to also review it. That system just doesn’t cut it anymore.

And here’s where it gets even more ironic. Last season, it was the Aces – and A’ja herself – blasting officiating during postgame interviews. “If I get fined for this, I’m terribly sorry, but it’s [officiating] ridiculous,” she said. “We’ve been going through this all season.” So when fans see her getting these calls now, they remember.

But all in all, we understand that refereeing is a difficult, thankless job, no matter the league. Mistakes are inevitable. Even a perfectly called game would still have fans finding something to gripe about. But the goal can’t be perfection. It has to be progress. It’s on the league to foster the best officiating it can. Because if fans leave games talking about refs instead of basketball, that’s a loss for everyone.