By SuperWest Sports Staff
Sports
Home Winning % in Last 5 Years for CFB Programs in West
Home-game victories are the foundation of a college football program’s success and often correlate with teams at the top of the standings.
The tables below show the wins, losses, and win percentages for the region’s top programs over the last 10 seasons.
Oregon leads the way, followed by Utah, BYU, Washington and Boise State.
Home Winning % and Records by Program from 2021-2025
| Win % | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 94.3% | Oregon | 33-2 |
| 80.7% | Utah | 25-6 |
| 80.0% | BYU | 24-6 |
| 79.4% | Washington | 27-7 |
| 78.8% | Boise State | 26-7 |
| 76.7% | Fresno State | 23-7 |
| 70.6% | USC | 24-10 |
| 68.8% | Oregon State | 22-10 |
| 68.8% | WSU | 22-10 |
| 67.7% | San Jose State | 21-10 |
| 64.7% | San Diego State | 22-12 |
| 63.3% | Air Force | 19-11 |
| 62.9% | Hawai’i | 22-13 |
| 61.8% | ASU | 21-13 |
| 61.3% | UNLV | 19-12 |
| 60.0% | Utah State | 18-12 |
| 59.4% | Cal | 19-13 |
| 58.1% | Wyoming | 18-13 |
| 55.2% | New Mexico State | 16-13 |
| 54.6% | Arizona | 18-15 |
| 54.6% | UCLA | 18-15 |
| 48.4% | Colorado | 15-16 |
| 48.3% | New Mexico | 14-15 |
| 46.9% | Colorado State | 15-17 |
| 44.8% | UTEP | 13-16 |
| 35.5% | Nevada | 11-20 |
| 29.0% | Stanford | 9-22 |
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England can wrap up the Group L title at the 2026 World Cup when they close out group play against an already-eliminated Panama side on Saturday. England need just a point to guarantee their spot in the Round of 32 and a win to secure top spot outright. Thomas Tuchel’s side sits tied atop Group L with Ghana on four points apiece, while Croatia trail by a point. England rolled to a 4-2 win over Croatia before playing to a scoreless draw with Ghana. Panama have dropped back-to-back 1-0 decisions to Ghana and Croatia.
Kickoff for Panama vs. England is 5 p.m. ET in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The latest England vs. Panama odds from FanDuel Sportsbook list England at -700 (risk $700 to win 100) on the money line, with Panama at +1700 and a draw at +750. The over/under for total goals is 3.5. Before locking in any Panama vs. England picks or World Cup 2026 predictions, check out the Panama vs. England predictions from SportsLine’s Martin Green.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Last year, Green was profitable in multiple areas on his soccer betting picks, including the Champions League (+211.25) and Bundesliga (+100). He’s also been red-hot in 2026, posting an 18-8 record over his last 26 UCL picks, returning nearly $1,000 in profit. Additionally, he enters Saturday on a 9-5 roll on World Cup picks (+382). Anyone wanting to follow his World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could see big returns.
Now, Green has studied Panama vs. England and just revealed his 2026 World Cup picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several World Cup odds and soccer betting lines for England vs. Panama:
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England vs. Panama 90-minute money line |
England -700, Panama +1700, Draw +750 |
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England vs. Panama over/under: |
3.5 goals |
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England vs. Panama spread: |
England -2.5 (+106) |
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England vs. Panama picks: |
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England vs. Panama streaming: |
Fubo (Try for free) |
Top England vs. Panama predictions
After examining Panama vs. England from every angle, Green is leaning Over 3.5 total goals (-118). England began their group stage campaign with an impressive 4-2 win against Croatia last week. Captain Harry Kane scored twice in the first half, and goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford sealed the win.
The English can be powerful and still need a big win against Panama to guarantee first place, so they will be motivated to put a big number on the board. Panama have struggled in attack, but have no pressure in this matchup, freeing them up to possibly find the net as well. See Green’s best bets for Panama vs. England at SportsLine, and you can bet the Over in Panama vs. England at FanDuel here:
How to make Panama vs. England picks
After studying Panama vs. England from every angle, Green has found a critical x-factor and locked in a pair of best bets. You can head to SportsLine to see what they are.
So what are the best bets for Panama vs. England? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Panama vs. England, all from expert on a 9-5 roll on WC picks, and find out.
Sports
‘He asks questions all the time’: Abhishek Sharma reveals what Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is really like | Cricket News
Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Agency Image)
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s meteoric rise has made him one of the most exciting young prospects in Indian cricket, with the 15-year-old continuing to attract widespread attention after a sensational run over the past few months. His fearless approach first grabbed headlines during IPL 2026, where he amassed 776 runs for the Rajasthan Royals while taking on some of the world’s premier bowlers with remarkable confidence.The teenager further strengthened his credentials in the India A tri-series final against Sri Lanka A, producing one of the most destructive innings in List A cricket. Sooryavanshi hammered 94 off only 29 deliveries, reaching his fifty in just 11 balls to register the fastest half-century in the format’s history.Those performances earned him his maiden call-up to India’s senior T20I squad for the ongoing tour of Ireland, marking another significant milestone in his rapidly developing career. Although many expected him to make his international debut in the opening T20I, the Indian team management opted to stick with the opening pair that played a key role in the country’s T20 World Cup 2026 triumph.Despite missing out on a place in the playing XI, Sooryavanshi has already made a strong impression within the Indian dressing room. Opener Abhishek Sharma revealed that the squad has gone out of its way to ensure the youngster feels welcome and highlighted his eagerness to absorb as much knowledge as possible.“As a team, I think it’s our responsibility to make him comfortable. And obviously he is a young guy and what I felt, he is very curious to play all the time. He is just learning right now. He asks questions, so I feel he has that in himself, where he wants to learn a lot of things, and obviously it’s a dream for him too. So we are trying our best to make him feel that he belongs in the group,” Abhishek told reporters after the first T20I.India’s decision to leave Sooryavanshi on the bench came as they backed their established opening combination for the series opener at Stormont. However, the move failed to deliver the desired result as Ireland defended 182 successfully, restricting India to 148 with seven balls remaining to claim a 34-run victory.Abhishek Sharma provided the lone spark for India at the top of the order with a blistering 20-ball half-century, but the rest of the batting unit struggled against Ireland’s disciplined bowling attack. Shivam Dube’s 25 was the next-highest contribution as India’s chase never truly gathered momentum, leading to renewed calls for Sooryavanshi to be handed his debut in the second and final T20I.
Jun 16, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images The New York Yankees reached the halfway point on pace for 96 victories, but some of their recent showings did not reflect a team holding the best record in the American League.
New York attempts to avoid a third straight loss Saturday when they visit the Boston Red Sox, who are seeking three straight home wins for the second time this season.
The Yankees are 12-10 since losing Aaron Judge to a fractured right rib, but the past week is different from their showing in the first few weeks without their captain. New York won nine of the first 13 games without Judge but heads into Saturday with six losses in nine games and trying to avoid three straight losses for the second time in the past week.
New York is hitting .211 in its past nine games after going 3-for-30 in Friday’s 6-1 loss. Spencer Jones had the lone hit in seven innings off left-hander Payton Tolle while Anthony Volpe and Jasson Dominguez had the other hits. It marked the sixth time this season the Yankees were held to three hits or fewer.
“It’s not like we were smoking the ball,” manager Aaron Boone said after the Yankees fell to 48-33. “You’re going to have those nights. It’s a good pitcher executing. It can be a tough game sometimes. Obviously just had a hard time struggling to mount anything, but no issue with where our preparation and focus (is). We just got beat tonight.”
The Red Sox won three straight home games April 7-8 when they beat Milwaukee and April 17 when they beat Detroit. Boston is 14-25 at home, and Friday marked the 11th time they scored more than five runs at home.
Willson Contreras helped the Red Sox score five or more runs for the fourth straight game with an RBI single and his 17th homer. Contreras homered after entering Friday with five hits in his previous 38 at-bats on the heels of a 15-for-41 (.366) showing in an 11-game span from June 2-14.
Boston’s pitching also has produced a quality start of six innings and three runs or fewer in nine straight games after Tolle retired the first 16 hitters and allowed three baserunners. “It’s great,” Boston interim manager Chad Tracy said. “The at-bats have been really great these last two days, but watching those guys go out there and consistently pitch six innings or into the seventh is pretty impressive.”
Left-hander Jake Bennett (1-3, 3.71 ERA), who is taking the rotation spot of Brayan Bello, pitches for Boston and faces the Yankees for the first time. Bennett’s contribution to Boston’s quality start streak was six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in a no-decision on Monday in Colorado.
Gerrit Cole (2-2, 3.62), who is coming off his worst outing since returning from reconstructive elbow surgery, starts for the Yankees. Cole allowed season highs of five runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings while throwing 89 pitches during a 5-3 loss at Detroit on Monday.
Cole is 7-6 with a 5.23 ERA in 19 career starts against the Red Sox. At Fenway Park, the veteran right-hander is 2-3 with a 5.52 ERA in eight starts. –Field Level Media
Sports
Spain handed worrying injury update about winger’s availability for the remainder of FIFA World Cup: Reports
Spain winger Nico Williams could potentially miss the remainder of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after he limped off injured during their 1-0 win over 10-man Uruguay. The two sides locked horns in their World Cup Group H clash at the Guadalajara Stadium on Friday, June 26.
Having recovered from a muscle injury just before the start of the FIFA World Cup, Spain boss Luis de la Fuente chose not to risk Williams, naming him on the bench for all their group stage games. With La Roja winning 1-0 against Uruguay, De La Fuente subbed on Williams in the 76th minute in place of Lamine Yamal to make an impact.
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Unfortunately for the Spaniards, Williams suffered another injury and was spotted leaving the stadium after full-time in discomfort. As per MARCA (h/t The Touchline), the 23-year-old’s World Cup participation is reportedly at risk.
De La Fuente shared an update on Williams, as well as Yeremi Pino, who suffered a shoulder injury, stating (via NDTV Sports):
“Nico was experiencing some slight discomfort. It could be a strain or just fatigue, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to know for sure. However, and I am really sad about this, what really concerns me is Yeremy’s injury. It looks bad and there is a very strong possibility he will miss the rest of the tournament.”
Pino’s and Williams’ injuries will be a massive blow for Spain. La Roja are currently short on options down the wing, with Yamal still not at full fitness and Victor Munoz suffering a setback from a muscle issue.
Spain defeat Uruguay in FIFA World Cup clash to qualify for Round of 32
Spain weren’t at their best, but they did enough to secure a 1-0 win over Uruguay to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 stage. La Roja finished at the top of Group H with seven points, having picked up two wins and one draw.
Despite an evenly-contested first half, Uruguay found themselves trailing in the 42nd minute when Alex Baena fired home, taking full advantage of Fernando Muslera’s error in goal. Spain controlled the tempo of the game after taking the lead and secured the three points, with Uruguay’s Agustin Canobbio being sent off in the fourth minute of stoppage time for a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsi.
Meanwhile, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia have been eliminated from the FIFA World Cup after finishing third and fourth in Group H, respectively. Cabo Verde have progressed to the Round of 32, after finishing in second place with three points.
Edited by Silas Sud
Whatever Mountjoy achieves for the remainder of the current campaign will be viewed as a bonus, but the Ballarat filly is being given her opportunity for a lucrative Stakes victory this Saturday in Adelaide.
The Henry Dwyer-trained two-year-old is scheduled to contest the $120,000 David Peacock Oaklands Plate (1400m) on the Morphettville Parks circuit.
Mountjoy was prepared for the $125,000 Elvstroem Classic (1300m) at Swan Hill earlier this month, an event in which she emerged as the narrow but impressive victor over Fontein Jewel. Dwyer commented that the chance for Listed success while the filly was in such formidable form was too compelling to pass up.
“The horse she beat at Swan Hill came out and won at Flemington the other day, so her form is good,” Dwyer said.
“She can definitely run a place, if not win, and she’s a well-bred filly that would be worth plenty if she could win over there.”
Mountjoy is a progeny of Street Boss and the Redoute’s Choice mare Lorne, whom Dwyer acquired for NZ$150,000 at last year’s Karaka Yearling Sale.
Dwyer initially had ambitions for Mountjoy to compete in the Karaka Millions, but a setback prevented this. Nevertheless, she could be poised for a trip to the same meeting next year if she performs admirably on Saturday.
“We’re going pretty deep into the winter with her running this week and I reckon she probably wants a decent break, so we might even try to get her over to New Zealand for the Karaka Millions three-year-old race,” he said.
“We wanted to get her there for the two-year-old race, but we might just be a year behind.”
Mountjoy is not Dwyer’s solitary hope in the Oaklands Plate, with And There You Go, a daughter of Hellbent who finished third at her sole start at Donald, set to accompany her to Adelaide.
“She surprised us a little bit running so well, it was an open-age maiden and she got home pretty well and nearly won,” Dwyer said.
“I think that’s more than enough to go against those two-year-olds over there, so it wouldn’t surprise if she was to run a placing.”
And There You Go drew the more favourable barrier of Dwyer’s pair, securing gate four, whereas Mountjoy will commence from the outside alley in the 14-horse field.
The Adelaide-based Price brothers have been engaged to ride Dwyer’s fillies, with Will Price assigned to Mountjoy and Ben Price to And There You Go.
Secure your bets on the Oaklands Plate with leading Australian betting sites.
Electronic line calling (ELC) remains in place at Wimbledon – as the Championships continue to embrace technology.
The system replaced line judges in 2025, after 147 years of humans calling the shots on the famous grass courts.
Wimbledon approved the use of ELC because they believe the technology is more accurate than the human eye. It was also backed by the players.
But the system was accidentally deactivated last year during the match between Anastasia Pavlyuchenkov and Sonay Kartal, due to “human error”, missing three calls in one game.
It also failed during Wimbledon qualifying at Roehampton due to a power outage that was likely caused by extreme heat, with play suspended for an hour.
Britain’s Emma Raducanu said she did not completely trust ELC, saying there had been some “dodgy” calls, while Jack Draper said he did not think it was “100 per cent accurate”.
Speaking ahead of Wimbledon, chief executive of the All England Club Sally Bolton said there was confidence in the system before this year’s tournament.
“The way live electronic line calling works is it’s a combination of humans and technology working together,” she said.
“There was an issue last year, that was rectified and the review was undertaken during last year’s Championships.
“We will always test our systems, every single system we have as we go into the Championships, but we’re confident that that issue was in fact rectified last year.”
ELC uses the same technology as the Hawk-Eye system, which previously allowed players to ‘challenge’ questionable line calls.
ELC uses 18 cameras set around the court to track the ball’s movement and trajectory in real time, with sensors and computers producing a 3D image of where it lands.
An automated voice mimics that of a line judge, with a loud call of “out!”, “fault!” or “foot fault” emitted within a tenth of a second.
This year, Wimbledon has also introduced visual indicators on the scoreboards, after some fans complained that they could not tell if a ball had landed in or out without the on-court line judge.
Wimbledon will also introduce video review technology for the first time at this year’s Championships.
It allows players to challenge calls made by the umpire – such as on whether a ball has bounced twice or if a player has touched the net.
The All England Club confirmed that the ‘VAR’-style technology will be available on the six main show courts, including Centre Court and No 1 Court.
Video reviews were introduced on the ATP Tour last year and have been available at the US Open since 2023 and the Australian Open since 2025.
The presence of video review means that the umpire can ask for a replay to help determine a call if the ELC fails.
The Australian Open replaced line judges with ELC in 2021, with the US Open following suit in 2022. ELC has been in place on most ATP and WTA Tour events since 2025.
The French Open is now the only grand slam tournament to still use line judges, with the tournament backing humans despite a controversial incident during the men’s draw.
Casper Ruud questioned a call during a pivotal moment of his match against Joao Fonseca, believing the ball had landed out despite the chair umpire ruling the mark was in.
However, the Hawk-Eye image showed the ball had landed out, leading French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo to say the “reliability of the system is not absolute”.
With a review set to take place ahead 2027, Mauresmo added: “As of today, the machine is not 100 per cent reliable, so we continue to place our confidence in human officials.”
Sports
‘No one drops catches on purpose’: Shafali Verma plays down costly dropped catches ahead of Australia clash | Cricket News
Shafali Verma, right, celebrates the wicket of Netherlands Sterre Kalis during the Women’s T20 World Cup cricket match in Leeds, England, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP)
India opener Shafali Verma believes India should keep things simple when they face Australia in a must-win match in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.Sunday’s matches will decide which teams from Group A reach the semi-finals. South Africa, on six points, will face Bangladesh, who have four points. India, also on six points, will then take on unbeaten Australia, who have eight points.
If South Africa beat Bangladesh, India will need to defeat Australia to qualify for the semi-finals. Australia, however, can still go through even if they lose because they already have eight points and a much better net run rate.Speaking on JioStar, Shafali said India have the confidence to beat Australia after winning a T20I series there before the World Cup.“Everyone knows Australia are a world-class team. But it’s not like we haven’t beaten them before. We recently beat them in a T20 series in Australia, and that gives us confidence,” she said.India had beaten Australia 2-1 in the three-match series, and Shafali believes that knowing the opposition well will help.“We have been playing against them for years now. We know their bowlers, their strengths, and their plans. So, we will keep things straightforward, which is important, and back our own strengths. The more you overthink, the harder it gets.”The opener, who has scored two fifties in her last three innings, said she changed her mindset after the match against Pakistan.“A lot of things have improved in my batting. Before the Pakistan match, I was overthinking. I was planning too much, how I would play the first ball, what shot I would play off the second ball,” she said.“But after that game, I realised that I don’t need to complicate things. I just need to keep it simple. When I bat, I watch the ball and react. I don’t plan too far ahead. That has helped me score runs more freely.”Apart from batting, Shafali has also contributed with the ball. She has bowled with the new ball in recent matches, returning figures of 1 for 22 against South Africa, including the wicket of Tazmin Brits, after taking 3 for 20 against the Netherlands.She said captain Harmanpreet Kaur has given her a clear role.“Harman di has kept my role very clear. She told me that I will have to bowl in the powerplay. So, I work on that in the nets as well. I bowl with the new ball, focus on hitting the right areas, and try to keep the ball around the stumps.“As an opener, I know that if you bowl outside the stumps, you give the batter room to score. So, I always try to bowl according to what I would expect as an opener, what line and length would trouble me. I bowl keeping that in mind; tight lines, stump-to-stump, and making the batter work for runs,” she said.India’s fielding has come under scrutiny after several dropped catches during the tournament, but Shafali backed her teammates.“Everyone is thinking of giving their 100 per cent. No one is dropping catches or misfielding on purpose. Sometimes it’s just not your day, the ball doesn’t stick, the timing is off, or the bounce surprises you.”“But we always back the player who is having a tough day, both on and off the field. Our preparation has been good. We had two days of practice before this match against Bangladesh. We did fielding drills together as a team, half an hour of focused catching and ground fielding.“So, I will not say that we are not preparing well. We are doing everything we can. It’s just about the day. Some days things click, some days they don’t. That’s part of the game,” she said.
Wimbledon recorded its hottest opening day at last year’s Championship and the heat could be a significant factor once again across the fortnight at the grand slam tournament.
The start of last year’s Wimbledon was played out in temperatures reaching 33C and brought the sight of players attempting to cool themselves with ice towels.
Extreme heat has played a part in both of this season’s grand slams, with temperatures of 46C at the Australian Open and a heatwave hitting the French Open, too.
Defending Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner has at times struggled in the heat, and was knocked out of the French Open during a sweltering second round.
It means there is likely to be renewed focus on Wimbledon’s heat rules, as well as an eye on the upcoming forecasts at SW19.
What is Wimbledon’s heat rule?
Wimbledon has a heat rule in place for this year’s tournament and players are allowed to request a 10-minute break when the heat stress index is at or above 30.1C.
The heat stress index accounts for air temperature, humidity and surface temperature – creating a ‘feels-like’ reading that is also known as the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature [WGBT].
The heat stress index will be measured 30 minutes before the start of play, then at 2pm and then at 5pm. The 10-minute break would take place between the second and third sets for women’s singles matches and between the third and fourth sets for men’s matches.
Wimbledon states once a match has started with the heat rule in place, it cannot be lifted if the weather conditions change. It adds that the heat rule cannot be introduced for matches that were suspended overnight and are midway through.
The heat rule was triggered during Wimbledon qualifying, as London experienced an “extreme heat” red weather warning and the hottest June day on record. The high temperature may have had a part in a brief power outage at the qualifying tournament.
How does it compare to other grand slams?
The Australian Open uses a heat stress scale. A 10-minute cooling break is enforced if the scale reaches 4.0, while play was suspended at this year’s tournament when the scale reached 5.0, its highest level.
The French Open uses Wet Bulb Globe Temperature and the heat rule is enforced when it hits 30.1C, triggering a 10-minute cooling break. There is then a suspension if the WGBT reaches 32C.
Despite cramping and suffering a physical breakdown during his shock French Open defeat to Juan Manuel Cerundolo, the WGBT did not reach the threshold required to trigger a stoppage during Jannik Sinner’s exit.
Afterwards, Sinner did not blame the heat and said he felt ill earlier in the day. “It was warm, but not crazy warm,” Sinner said. “I feel like it was quite OK to play. It was nothing against the heat, nothing against the weather. It was just me today, but it happens.”
What about the fans at Wimbledon?
Wimbledon has worked to introduce more shaded areas and water points around the grounds. Fans are also advised to keep hydrated, apply sunscreen, wear light clothing and a hat, as well as taking time off court if sitting directly under the sun.
There were several instances of fans struggling in the heat last year. Both Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka brought water over to fans who had to receive medical attention during their matches.
Pakistan Women vs Netherlands Women Live: Final Opportunity for Pakistan and Netherlands to Salvage Pride
Pakistan and the Netherlands meet in Bristol with both teams still searching for their first win of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Pakistan have endured a difficult campaign, losing all four matches despite some impressive individual displays from captain Fatima Sana. The Netherlands have shown glimpses of promise but remain without a victory in Women’s T20 World Cup history. With both sides eager to avoid finishing the tournament empty-handed, the match represents an important opportunity to build confidence and end their respective campaigns positively before turning attention to future international assignments.
Caitlin Clark hit in throat during WNBA loose-ball scramble, sparking backlash and game suspension
WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark was hit in the throat during a loose-ball scramble, sparking outrage and a one-game suspension for Alyssa Thomas. Fox News’ Garrett Tenney reports on the ‘absolutely unacceptable’ incident and the coach’s reaction. Political analyst Gianno Caldwell discusses Clark’s immense impact on WNBA viewership, including a $2.2 billion deal, and the role of gender and race in the controversy.
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Phoenix Mercury All-Star Alyssa Thomas is the latest villain to Caitlin Clark fans after punching Clark in the throat during a game on Wednesday night.
The referees missed the punch in real time, but fans and the league office did not.
A viral clip of the punch in slow motion spread across social media, pouring gasoline on the ongoing culture war surrounding Clark’s physical treatment by opposing players, which has been a controversial issue dating back to Clark’s rookie season in 2024.
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And Less than 24 hours after the incident, the WNBA slapped Thomas with a one-game suspension for what was deemed a “reckless” and “non-basketball act.”
Who is the woman behind the punch?
If Thomas wasn’t in the WNBA, she says she would go pro in combat sports
In a 2019 interview with Nike PLAYlist, Thomas answered what sport she would have gone pro in if she didn’t go pro in basketball.
“Either boxing or MMA,” Thomas said.
If Thomas never went pro in any sport, she said she would have gotten into dentistry.
“Since I was a kid, I loved going to the dentist. I just was fascinated with teeth and still am. I’m passionate about that whole process of cleaning,” according to a profile on WNBA.com.
The first time Thomas stepped on a basketball court, she threw a ‘hissy fit’
Thomas was signed up to try basketball for the first time at the age of five by her mother, Tina, per the WNBA.
Thomas said she “Threw myself all down the stairs, down the hallway,” while her mom said “She just threw an absolute hissy fit.”
WNBA SUSPENDS ALYSSA THOMAS FOR ‘RECKLESSLY’ HITTING CAITLIN CLARK IN THROAT DURING SCRAMBLE
Her parents didn’t let her win a popular board game
Thomas’ parents never took it easy on her when they played “Candyland” as she was growing up.
“We weren’t the parents that were just going to let you win,” Tina said, per the WNBA.
“In life, you have to fight, and how are you going to fight if you don’t teach your kids to fight? So if she fell over, ‘get up, you’re alright,’ and if she didn’t get up, you knew something was wrong.”
It was a parenting tactic also used by the father of New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter, who famously never let Jeter win in board games or card games when he was growing up, to instill harsh competitiveness at an early age.
Thomas added that her mom was especially hard on her and helped develop her toughness.
“By no means was it easy, and it’s still not easy,” Thomas said.
Thomas plays more physically because shoulder issues hinder her shooting ability
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas scrambles to get up over Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark during a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on June 24, 2026. The Phoenix Mercury defeated the Indiana Fever 111-109. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
Thomas currently plays basketball with torn labrums in both of her shoulders.
The injuries are so severe that she completely lacks the structural integrity to lift her arms and shoot a traditional, fluid jump shot. Instead, she is forced to use a rigid, one-handed pushing motion from her chest just to get the ball to the rim.
Because she cannot rely on outside shooting, Thomas adapted by leaning entirely into her physical frame. She drives directly into the teeth of opposing defenses, absorbing heavy contact in the paint to score closer to the basket.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark shown after falling in the lane while Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas watches the ball at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Indianapolis, Indiana on June 24, 2026. (Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
That brutal, driving style requires her to initiate intense physical collisions on nearly every single possession.
Despite the mechanical limitations and constant pain, the tactical shift worked. She transformed herself into a six-time All-Star, three-time First-Team All-WNBA, an Olympic gold medalist and the undisputed triple-double queen of the WNBA.
Thomas has been the center of immense criticism this week
The throat punch on Clark ignited a fierce wave of backlash.
Indiana Fever Head Coach Stephanie White led the charge, completely unloading on Thomas and the league’s officials during her postgame press conference.
“We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots right there that weren’t called,” White said, pointing directly at Thomas’s actions. “Absolutely unacceptable.”
White argued that Thomas regularly crosses the line from playing physical defense into inflicting dangerous, non-basketball contact.
“It’s absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful,” White continued to fume to reporters. “The fist in the throat is crazy. It’s crazy. It’s dangerous.”
On Thursday, Fever President Kelly Krauskopf released a statement praising the decision to suspend Thomas.
“Player safety should be paramount in our league. We appreciate the WNBA’s review of last night’s incident and the action taken. Right now our focus is on Caitlin and our entire team as we prepare for Saturday,” Krauskopf wrote.
Former Minnesota Vikings captain and prominent conservative activist Jack Brewer said the punch would be considered a “hate crime” if the roles were reversed.
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“This would be considered a hate crime if it were the other way around,” Brewer told Fox News Digital.
Other critics have expressed their own outrage on social media.
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