It's no secret that for yet another WNBA season, the Chicago Sky are struggling to find their rhythm and identity. After a preseason that saw Angel Reese move to Atlanta and the Sky sign several marquee players to the team's roster, including Skylar Diggins and DiJonai Carrington, the Sky are currently ranked 13th in the league with a 4-11 record.
That record got even worse last night after the team suffered a last-minute 93-92 loss to the Dallas Wings. A lot happened in that game, but the Sky seemed like they had it in the bag until the very final minutes of the match.
While speaking to reporters after the game, the team's head coach Tyler Marsh suggested — or, actually, outright said — that officiating was a big problem for the team. Marsh went a step further and said that the Sky sends in plays and foul calls to the league and asks for clarification and explanations for those calls, but that they frequently don't hear back.
What Tyler Marsh said about WNBA officiating
Marsh said of foul calls: "We send all of them in. We send all of them in, we get left on read, we send them directly. Text messages directly. We don't get responses."
It's unclear if Marsh and the Sky send the messages directly to referees in the league, a governing body for referees, or to the WNBA. He also didn't elaborate, and many were left coming up with theories and explanations for themselves.
Officiating has been a huge topic this season. A council of sorts made up of several GMs and coaches was established in the offseason to address foul calls and changes, and the league's referees have shown a demonstrated committment to changing how they call the games. Those changes have prompted frustration from players and coaches alike, and those feelings have bled over into fans.
What happened when the Dallas Wings beat the Sky
Saturday night's game in Texas was the Sky's for most of the night, but the Wings had a last-minute surge that pushed the team from a 14-point deficit to firmly ahead. The Wings were aided by Jessica Shepard, who scored 17 of her 21 points in the second half of the game, and by Paige Bueckers, who scored 10 of the team's 11 points during their furious final push. Bueckers had a total of 19 points, Azzi Fudd added 13, and Arike Ogunbowale added on another 12.
That doesn't mean the Sky didn't perform well. Kamilla Cardoso had 26 points and 9 rebounds, a strong sign that things are starting to gel for the 2024 draft pick.
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