SEATTLE - Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark were kept from postgame media duties regarding a demonstration ahead of Indiana's 105-95 victory against Seattle on Tuesday night that backed Cunningham's prior remarks on transgender athletes.

A group of roughly several dozen supporters assembled outside Climate Pledge Arena to endorse Cunningham while also advocating for Washington ballot measures 638 and 011 aimed at restricting transgender participation in girls' school sports across the state.

Cunningham had expressed her position favoring limits on transgender girls and women in female athletics through an ESPN piece released the previous week. She drew boos from Storm supporters upon entering Tuesday's contest and again during her initial free throw attempts.

Media requests for Cunningham and Clark after the game went unmet. Kelsey Mitchell and Monique Billings spoke with reporters in their place along with head coach Stephanie White.

Upon inquiries directed at White concerning the rally and Cunningham's statements, a team public relations staff member stepped in to deliver an official response.

"Neither our organization nor Sophie had any knowledge of this demonstration and no contact with its organizers," the statement said. "Our only goal as a team, whether at home or away, is to win basketball games and make Fever fans for life, and we are united in that mission."

Storm head coach Sonia Raman fielded a question on the pregame gathering after her squad's seventh straight defeat.

"Seattle and this organization and Climate Pledge, we always want to be an area where people feel welcome coming into this building," Raman said. "I think we've always done a really good job with that. So, I know our organization was working closely with Climate Pledge and the security just to make sure that everybody feels safe and included and welcome when they walk in this door. From what I understand, that was successful."

Heather Weiner, spokesperson for No Hate in Washington State - a coalition including physicians, nurses, anti-domestic violence advocates and additional community groups against ballot measures 638 and 011 - described the scene outside the arena as largely constructive.

"Washington State is a very caring, inclusive place," Weiner said. "We don't always agree, but we do agree against hate, and we will come together about that."