Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts was tossed in the third quarter of Game 4 in the WNBA Finals Friday night as his team faced elimination.
He received a double technical foul with 2:41 left in the third quarter after he argued and got in referee Gina Cross's face. The Mercury trailed the Aces by 14 points at the time as their hopes to avoid a four-game sweep hung in the balance.
Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts has been EJECTED from the game 😱#WNBAFinals pic.twitter.com/r1SBD15p2U
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 11, 2025
Tibbetts appeared to be confused that his night ended early before he walked off to the locker room through an uproar from the home crowd. He didn't even realize he got two technicals initially. Everyone seemed shocked the coach was ejected in an elimination game, but he did get right up in Cross's face as he argued a foul called on Phoenix guard Monique Akoa Makani.
Officiating has been a major talking point over the WNBA's postseason, highlighted by Lynx star Napheesa Collier's monologue directed toward the league's leadership and her coach Cheryl Reeve's blow up at the refs in Game 3 of their WNBA semifinals series against the Mercury. Reeve called out officials after the game and received a hefty fine, plus a one-game suspension, which she served Game 4 where the Lynx were eliminated by Phoenix.
Tibbetts and the Mercury haven't been outspoken against league officiating over the playoffs, but tensions seemed to boil over when it mattered most.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mercury Coach Nate Tibbetts Ejected in Elimination Game for Getting in Ref's Face.
