Indianapolis (AP) — In a thrilling game, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese had tense moments on the court, but both agreed that their minor dustup during the season opener was just part of the game.

The incident occurred with 4:38 left in the third quarter when Clark made a strong play to disrupt Reese during a rebound attempt. Clark slapped Reese’s arm hard enough to dislodge the ball and send Reese to the floor. After getting up, Reese tried to confront Clark, but Indiana center Aliyah Boston stepped in between them.

“Let’s not make it something that it’s not,” Clark said after achieving her third triple-double of her career. “It was just a good play on the basketball. I’m not sure what the ref saw to upgrade it, and that’s up to their discretion. It’s a take foul to put them at the free-throw line. I’ve watched a lot of basketball in my life, that’s exactly what it was. I wasn’t trying to do anything malicious. That’s not the type of player I am.”

Still, it’s hard to ignore the obvious — that this fray added another chapter to the rivalry that has captivated women’s basketball. It dates back to their college days, when Reese led LSU to a 102-85 victory over Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes for the 2022-23 national championship. Clark won the rematch in the spring of 2024, a game that drew 12.3 million television viewers.