During the Indiana Fever’s recent game against the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday, guard Sophie Cunningham was struck by an elbow to the head, an incident that went uncalled by officials. The altercation occurred while Cunningham was defending Leïla Lacan near the left side elbow and Olivia Nelson-Ododa swung her right arm, making contact with Cunningham’s head.

The impact caused Cunningham to briefly fall to the court, though an official positioned nearby witnessed the play but chose not to intervene or stop the game. Despite the foul play, Cunningham continued without complaint, though fans voiced frustration about the referee’s failure to penalize the action.

Despite the tension, Cunningham contributed significantly off the bench, scoring 11 points on 66.7% shooting, helping the Fever secure an 85-77 victory over the Sun. After the game, Cunningham addressed the incident on social media in response to the video circulating on X.

they said I flopped. el oh el,

—Sophie Cunningham, Indiana Fever guard

The intensity between these two teams is well-known. Their previous matchup ended with Cunningham receiving her first ejection of the season due to a flagrant 2 foul against Sun guard Jacy Sheldon. That confrontation sparked a fight, leading to the ejections of Sheldon and Lindsay Allen from the game for technical fouls.

Following yet another physical and contentious game, it is clear that the rivalry between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun remains heated and unresolved.