Fever’s Cunningham Injured in Loss as Playoff Hopes Dwindle

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham suffered a right knee injury during the second quarter of a game against the Connecticut Sun on Friday night. The injury happened when Sun guard Bria Hartley inadvertently fell into Cunningham’s leg while attempting a pass.

After grabbing her leg in pain, Cunningham was helped off the floor by trainers and teammates. The Fever confirmed the injury, ruling her out for the remainder of the game. Head coach Stephanie White and teammate Lexie Hull rushed to her aid, while Marina Mabrey shielded Cunningham from the crowd with a towel.

This latest setback adds to the Fever’s injury woes, as star player Caitlin Clark has been sidelined since July 15 with a right groin strain, while point guards Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson are also unavailable.

The Fever entered the game with high hopes after a five-game winning streak, but left the floor reeling from their fourth loss in five games, dropping to 15-18 overall. They now face a crucial matchup against the Sun (6-26) for a chance to maintain their playoff position.

Coach White spoke about the urgency needed from her team, stating, “Every loss hurts…especially when you’re missing pieces. We have to make sure we’re sharper at times.”

The team had initially built a 13-point lead in the first half, but struggled offensively, allowing the Mystics to rally back. Indiana managed a brief resurgence late in the game but ultimately lost 72-63, with Washington converting 14 of 16 free throws in the final quarter.

“When we’re clicking offensively, defensively, we’re scary,” Cunningham said. “We just have to get that confidence back.” With the loss, the Fever entered a challenging schedule, facing top teams like the Minnesota Lynx soon.

As of now, the Fever are clinging to a playoff spot, sitting in seventh place, just half a game behind the Valkyries and with just a narrow margin for error heading into the final stretch of the season.