Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas has been assessed a flagrant foul 2 penalty and a one-game suspension for “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area” of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, the WNBA announced.

The incident occurred with 6:52 left in the second quarter of the Mercury's 111-109 victory over host Indiana on Wednesday. No foul was called on the play.

Thomas will serve the suspension on Saturday when Phoenix visits the Toronto Tempo. The WNBA office said it has the option to review games and “classify as flagrant any foul not called as such during a game.”

In the sequence, Clark drove into the lane and fell on her side after contact with Phoenix defender Lexi Held. During the ensuing scramble for the ball, Thomas pushed her fist into Clark's throat before getting up and stepping over Clark.

Fever coach Stephanie White expressed frustration after the game that Thomas was not called for a foul. “Number one, you've got to call it. It's absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful,” White said.

The teams had also played a contentious game two nights earlier, in which a combined six technical fouls were called during Indiana's 86-77 victory.

Thomas, 34, is a six-time All-Star in her second season with the Mercury after 11 seasons with the Connecticut Sun. She is averaging 14.7 points, 8.4 assists, and 6.6 rebounds in 18 games this season.

Clark exited Wednesday's game with 5:15 left in the third quarter due to back issues. The 24-year-old two-time All-Star is averaging a career-high 21.2 points, 8.2 assists, and 4.0 rebounds through 17 games this season.

Source: www.aljazeera.com