If there’s one team that has consistently struggled against the Connecticut Sun, it’s the Chicago Sky. This was their second loss to the Sun this season, a defeat that pushed them down to the 12th spot. It was a physical, high-tension game that boiled over early in the second quarter when coach Tyler Marsh got into a heated exchange with a referee. The situation escalated quickly, with Angel Reese and her teammates stepping in to hold him back before things got worse, eventually leading to Marsh’s ejection.

The incident that set Marsh off came in the second quarter in Connecticut, with the Sky trailing the Sun by 13 points. Sun forward Aaliyah Edwards appeared to foul Elizabeth Williams, but the officials kept their whistles silent. The no-call sent Coach Marsh into a frenzy, shouting at the referees for the missed call.

With assistant coach Tanisha Wright stepping in as acting head coach, the Sky fought hard to erase a 21-point deficit but fell just short. Angel Reese recorded her 19th double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Sun. Behind Tina Charles’ milestone 200th career double-double, Connecticut sealed a 94-84 win, extending their unbeaten streak to three games and climbing another spot in the standings. After the game, Marsh didn’t hold back, voicing his frustrations in the post-game press conference.

“It was hard to be in the back and not being out there for the team. It hurt, and I felt like I was letting the other half of my team down. And the other half of me was like, I had to. I had to. It’s been egregious all year,” he said. “It was clear as day (the play being a foul-worthy one). I think when stuff like that goes uncalled, things happen like they happened last time in Connecticut… and I don’t know how you send a lot of the same refs from that game.”

The last time these two teams faced off at Mohegan Sun Arena, another heated moment erupted in the second quarter. Bria Hartley and Chicago’s Rebecca Allen were battling for a rebound when Allen appeared to shove Hartley from behind. The result? Hartley, in her second ejection of the season, retaliated by shoving Allen to the floor, sparking a full-on scuffle. After a 10-minute review, officials decided that Allen, along with Ariel Atkins, who stepped in to defend her teammate, also deserved ejections.

Often known for his calm demeanor, Coach Marsh has built a reputation for never blaming officials for the Sky’s losses this season… and there have been plenty, 27 to be exact. “I’m, if not the most respectful coach to the officiating crew around the league. But it feels like I’m the only one that does that. There’s no accountability on the other side of it… accountability should be had on all fronts. And it’s not,” Marsh said.

Remember the time Marsh was hit with a technical foul for nearly doing the same thing he did tonight, only to be restrained by his assistants against the Mystics? Angel Reese had just returned from a back injury when she hit the floor hard on a play while being guarded by Kiki Iriafen. Marsh’s frustration was valid — that fall sidelined Reese for another seven games.

As Marsh pointed out, officiating has been a problem all season, and it’s not just the Chicago Sky dealing with it. Other teams have voiced similar frustrations. But when it came to accountability, the officials were quick to admit their mistake tonight.

Officials acknowledge mistake as Angel Reese and co lose

This loss dropped the Sky to the 12th spot. It wasn’t the result they wanted, especially after coming off a big win against the Liberty. With coach Marsh’s ejection and his call for more accountability from officials, tonight’s official crew chief, Eric Brewton, admitted after the game that they made a mistake.

“The no-call, in live play we did not see the illegal contact, but when we came back and looked at it postgame, there was contact which should have been called,” Brewton said. “We just missed the play, which we should have done a better job of.”

While coach Marsh won’t be thrilled about getting ejected for pointing out a mistake, the reality is that his behavior toward the officials warranted it. He could have handled the situation better. The positive takeaway is that they’re at least admitting their errors — a small but hopeful step toward better officiating in the future.