Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Fever, was witness to more than just a win. Guard Lexie Hull endured a brutal head-to-head collision with Gabby Williams of the Seattle Storm, returned to the floor with a noticeable lump on her forehead, and still helped Indiana secure a 95-75 victory that shifted the playoff picture. Her willingness to step back into the game highlighted the toughness her teammates and coaches always point to.

The collision came early in the first quarter when Hull dove for a loose ball in the paint. Both players went down in pain, and Hull was taken to the locker room for evaluation. She later explained that she felt dazed at first but quickly regained her bearings. Trainers checked her neck and the swelling before clearing her to return. When she reappeared on the bench, the bump on her forehead was so pronounced that Hull joked everyone was staring at it, even admitting she could see it in her peripheral vision during the game.

“Yeah. Everyone's like, ‘You look beautiful!' And I'm like, ‘I know I look insane.' But it honestly looks better than it did when it first happened, so hopefully this goes down quick,” Hull said.

Her resilience didn’t go unnoticed. After the game, Aliyah Boston praised Hull’s toughness, saying she embodies the definition of relentless play. Boston emphasized how Hull constantly fights for loose balls, creates extra possessions, and frustrates opponents on defense. She also pointed out that despite the blow, Hull came back and continued to contribute on both ends of the floor.

“When you think of her as a player, the way she hustles, she likes to get loose balls, extra offensive possessions. That's what she does. I mean, she got hit, she came back, and just continued to contribute again. She was a pest on defense, just making her presence felt, offensive rebounds,” she said, according to Sports Illustrated.

Veteran Odyssey Sims also acknowledged Hull’s impact, stressing that her defensive pressure and effort energized the Fever after the collision. Even while playing through the swelling, Hull finished with a team-best +31 plus/minus, a clear indicator of her steady influence.

The result carried weight beyond individual performances. With the win over Seattle, Indiana improved to 20-18 on the season, moving past both the Storm and the Golden State Valkyries to claim sixth place in the WNBA standings. The Fever also completed a three-game sweep of Seattle, a crucial outcome with only six games left before the playoffs. For a team pushing to lock down its postseason spot, Hull’s effort served as another reminder of just how valuable every contribution can be.