Mics picked up the line from Liberty Coach to Breanna Stewart about fouling in Game 5

A controversial moment in the New York Liberty’s thrilling 67-62 overtime victory over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals is about to get even messier.

The Liberty trailed the Lynx 60-58 with just under five seconds left in the game when Breanna Stewart received a favorable call from the referees. Stewart received contact from Lynx forward Alanna Smith while driving to the rim, and Smith was whistled for a shooting foul. Stewart advanced to the charity stripe and sank both free throws to tie the game and force overtime.

The lack of shooting was a decision that many on social media — including LeBron James — didn’t agree with, especially given the physical and competitive nature of the championship-deciding Game 5.

At a timeout before Liberty’s offensive play, Liberty coach Sandy Brondello was mic’d up and appeared to tell Stewart, “If they foul you, beautify it.”

Any experienced coach would probably tell his players the same thing in the decisive moments of a game, but the fact that Liberty were awarded a crucial foul shortly after doesn’t look good.

Stewart’s free throws gave life to a struggling Liberty team as New York advanced in overtime to beat the Lynx for the franchise’s first WNBA title on Sunday night. Stewart finished with 13 points and four assists, while Liberty center Jonquel Jones led the team with 17 points and won Finals MVP after averaging 17.8 points and 7.6 rebounds during the series.