The Indiana Fever’s five-game winning streak came to an end Thursday night with an 91-85 road defeat to the Dallas Wings. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 37 points, while Caitlin Clark struggled offensively, managing just 10 points on 4-of-15 shooting despite adding nine assists. Dallas countered with a season-high 35 points from Arike Ogunbowale and a dominant defensive performance highlighted by Awak Kuier’s seven blocks, a WNBA season record and Wings franchise mark.
Sophie Cunningham drew significant criticism for her scoreless performance in 15 minutes of action. The forward missed all four three-point attempts and failed to record any rebounds, assists, steals, or blocks—a historically poor statistical output that immediately sparked backlash across social media. Some fans questioned why Indiana utilized her on important late-game offensive possessions, while others highlighted how a single made three-pointer could have altered the game’s outcome.
Despite the criticism, Cunningham’s season-long production suggests Thursday represented an anomaly. She entered the contest as one of the league’s most reliable perimeter shooters at 44.4% from three-point range and was averaging 8.6 points alongside solid overall shooting percentages. Her floor-spacing ability and defensive contributions typically provide value beyond the scoring column, supporting the Fever’s continued trust in her role.
The loss dropped Indiana to 24-13 on the season. Cunningham will have an immediate chance to respond when the Fever face the New York Liberty on Saturday at Barclays Center.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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