At the Barclays Center on Tuesday, Sophie Cunningham was met with loud boos from the Brooklyn crowd as the Indiana Fever took on the New York Liberty. The arena announcer’s introduction of Cunningham in the starting lineup triggered a wave of negativity, setting a challenging tone for the Fever guard.
Despite the persistent jeers directed at her throughout the game, Cunningham maintained her composure and delivered a strong performance, countering the hostile atmosphere with confident play. This evening marked Cunningham’s second start for the Fever this season, a shift that followed an injury to key player Caitlin Clark.
Social media quickly became a platform for Fever supporters to express their dismay over the treatment Cunningham received from the home fans, praising her resilience and skill in the face of adversity.
“Sophie Cunningham gets booed and drops 5 threes against the New York Liberty. Never shaken, never rattled, she swallows the hate and spits threes right back in the haters faces,” —fan said.
Stepping Up in Caitlin Clark’s Absence
With star guard Caitlin Clark sidelined due to injury, Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White made a significant lineup change, bringing Sophie Cunningham into the starting five while moving Lexie Hull to the bench. Hull has been impressive this season, making Cunningham’s promotion an important test of her readiness to contribute at a higher level.
Cunningham embraced the challenge, aggressively shooting from beyond the arc and showing no signs of intimidation despite the crowd’s hostility. She finished the night with 15 points on five successful three-point shots out of eight attempts, adding three rebounds and one steal during her 33 minutes on the court.
Although the Fever ultimately fell 98-84, Cunningham’s performance highlighted her potential as a reliable starter. Indiana’s record evened out to 12-12 after the game, as the team looks ahead to a crucial contest against the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday.
Implications for Cunningham and the Fever Moving Forward
Cunningham’s ability to silence the boos with consistent three-point shooting under pressure signals her increasing importance to the Fever’s rotation. Whether she continues in the starting lineup or returns to a bench role is yet to be determined, but her display against the Liberty offered a hopeful sign for the team amid the adversity of an injury to their leading scorer.
The upcoming matchup against the Aces will be another opportunity for Indiana to gauge its lineup adjustments and for Cunningham to build on her momentum in hostile environments. Her resilience and sharp shooting tonight stand out as encouraging elements for the Fever’s ongoing season challenges.