"Bailing them out of Lex Island": Fever fans anguished as video shows officials' error on Lexie Hull

The Indiana Fever's Lexie Hull was frustrated after she got called for a foul she didn't commit against the Atlanta Dream on Sunday.

Indiana took on Atlanta in Game 1 of their first-round matchup in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs. The game was intense from the beginning. With around three minutes to go in the first quarter, frustrations escalated for Indiana after Hull got called for a foul on Rhyne Howard.

Howard attacked the paint in a fast-break transition play with Hull as the defender. Hull kept her hands up the whole time, and Howard stumbled. Despite not making contact, the officials whistled for a defensive foul against Hull. This led to her showing frustration, and the Fever challenged the referee's call. Indiana's challenge was successful.

Fans on social media were quick to criticize the officials for the mistake.

vivi 🌝

@ViFdz

@nosyone4 Bailing them out of Lex Island

Trent Harvey

@TheTrentHarvey

@nosyone4 Do you expect anything less from the clown show refs?

Joe Motil A Mayor of the People and for the People

@mojotil

@nosyone4 This was the absolute worst referee called Fever game of the year. I was glad Coach White finally let the refs have it. It was worth the technical. It was one bad call after another.

Jerod Jones

@jones_jerod

@nosyone4 They called that a foul???? What a joke

The FBI did it..!

@donal_lee

@nosyone4 The WNBA had better get serious about its referee problem, or it will have no audience in the very near future.

Clive Samuels

@Riizzzie

@nosyone4 The refs are so bad they just call a foul when someone falls.

Later in the game, Indiana coach Stephanie White was called for a technical foul after giving the referees an earful.

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Indiana Fever's playoff hopes on the line after losing to Atlanta Dream in Game 1

The Indiana Fever are one loss away from getting knocked out of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs after the Atlanta Dream beat them 80-68 in Game 1. Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray led the Dream to victory.

Howard registered 20 points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal. Gray put up 20 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block.

Naz Hillmon and Brionna Jones both reached double figures as well. Hillmon nearly had a double-double with 16 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks and one steal. Jones, on the other hand, had 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Indiana will get the chance to level the series on Tuesday in Game 2.