The Indiana Fever had a golden chance to keep their five-game winning streak alive on Thursday night, but they just could not find enough offensive punch when it mattered most. Dallas walked away with a tight 91-85 road win, leaving Fever fans absolutely fuming after a shocking individual performance.
The Brutal Night in Big D
Kelsey Mitchell was an absolute monster for Indiana, dropping a massive 37 points and hitting 15 free throws. She basically carried the team, scoring more than 43% of Indiana’s total points herself. But even with Mitchell going off, it wasn’t enough. Caitlin Clark had a tough shooting night, managing only 10 points on 4-of-15 from the field, though she did dish out nine assists. The team desperately needed another scorer to step up and help Mitchell carry the load.
Enter Sophie Cunningham. Or rather, she didn’t enter. In 15 minutes on the court, Cunningham went scoreless, missing all four of her three-point attempts. But it gets worse. Her stat line was completely empty: zero rebounds, zero assists, zero steals, and zero blocks. Seriously, a total blank slate. Dallas’s Arike Ogunbowale poured in a season-high 35 points to counter Mitchell, and Awak Kuier absolutely dominated the paint with seven blocks, a WNBA season-high and a new Wings franchise record. The final six-point margin made Cunningham’s empty performance sting even more. You gotta wonder, what if just one of those typical Cunningham three-pointers had dropped? It could have changed everything in those closing minutes.
Fans Erupt as the Streak Crumbles
The reaction on social media was instant and totally merciless. Fever fans were not holding back, comparing Cunningham’s night to infamous scoreless games and questioning if her stat line was even real. People were furious, asking why the ball was even in her hands on important offensive possessions late in the game when she clearly had nothing going. The loss ended Indiana’s impressive five-game winning streak, dropping their record to 24-13. That stings big time.
Now, before we absolutely bury her, Cunningham’s season numbers do paint a different picture. She came into this game as one of the WNBA’s most accurate perimeter shooters, hitting 44.4% from deep. She was also averaging 8.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists, shooting 47.4% overall. Those numbers are why Indiana has trusted her, despite this one awful outing. Her ability to stretch the floor opens up driving lanes for Clark and Mitchell, and her physical defense and raw energy bring value that just does not show up in the box score. So yeah, Thursday was a brutal night, but it’s an unusual one for a player who’s been so dependable from outside all season long.
Cunningham gets an immediate shot at redemption. The Fever face the New York Liberty at Barclays Center on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. One terrible, scoreless night brought all this backlash, but a strong performance against one of the league’s top teams could shut everyone up just as fast. It’s time to bounce back, big time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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