The Indiana Fever didn’t need another injury scare. But just three minutes into their matchup with the Seattle Storm, they got one anyway. Lexie Hull went diving for a steal, colliding head-on with Gabby Williams in a jarring moment that sent both players to the floor. As Hull walked to the locker room with a towel over her head and a knot rapidly swelling on her forehead, the crowd held its breath. Even head coach Stephanie Whiteadmitted, “That was disgusting.”
Minutes later, Hull was back on the bench-and not long after that, she was back on the court. In the second quarter she drilled a deep three to push Indiana’s lead to double digits, a shot that sent the Fever sideline into celebration and forced a Storm timeout.
“I didn’t know exactly what happened,” Hull said afterward. “It was kind of just a clash. Looking at the video, Gabby and I just ran into each other. Unfortunate, unlucky. I think we both have knots on our heads, (but) we just kept playing.”
Playing through the pain
What happened next was as surprising as the swelling itself. Despite the knot that she joked was so big she could “see it with [her] own eyes,”Hull turned in one of her most impactful performances of the season. She posted five points, nine rebounds, and finished with a +31 rating in just over 23 minutes-a stat line that speaks more to hustle and toughness than to raw scoring.
“I knew it was going to be big,” Hull laughed when asked about the bump. “It honestly looks better now than it did at first.”
Her grit wasn’t lost on her teammates. Aliyah Boston called her “the definition of tough,” praising Hull’s defense and energy after returning from what could have been a game-ending hit.
A team running out of bodies
The Fever’s relief was obvious. Injuries have already gutted their rotation-Caitlin Clark has been sidelined for 16 straight games with a groin issue, Chloe Bibby has missed time with a knee injury, and Sophie Cunningham, Aari McDonald, and Sydney Colson are all done for the season. White admitted she couldn’t even picture losing another player.
Hull’s return wasn’t just brave-it was necessary. The Fever’s win bumped them up from eighth to sixth in the standings (20-18), crucial with just a handful of games left against fellow playoff chasers like the Valkyries, Sparks, Mercury, and Lynx.
Fans rally behind Hull
As the photos of Hull’s swollen forehead circulated, Fever fans flooded social media with equal parts support and humor. “Lexie is one tough lady,” one fan wrote. “I loved hearing the crowd roar for her when she went back in.”
Her mother, Jamie Hull, also reassured fans, tweeting that her daughter was “okay” despite a sore neck and jaw. “One tough kid that can take a hit and never complain,” she added.
Seattle had its own worries-Williams wasn’t herself after the collision, playing just 18 minutes and scoring two points, well below her average. Storm coach Noelle Quinn said Williams was “OK,” but admitted the collision clearly affected her.
For Indiana, though, the night belonged to Hull. Swollen face and all, she gave the Fever exactly what they needed: resilience, energy, and a badly-timed win that might just keep their playoff hopes alive.
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