The Indiana Fever secured a significant victory at home on Tuesday night, defeating the New York Liberty 106-92 as they advance toward the WNBA Playoffs. Leading the charge was Kelsey Mitchell with 28 points, complemented by double-double performances from Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. Sophie Cunningham, coming off the bench, added an impressive 12 points after making four 3-pointers.
Prior to the game, Fever coach Stephanie White delivered a passionate two-minute speech to reporters addressing external criticism before exiting without taking questions. Following the game, Sophie Cunningham addressed her coach’s comments, acknowledging the external distractions but emphasizing the strong camaraderie within the team. “Our locker room is good,” she said. “As Indiana Fever players and staff, we are tight and support each other.”
I think there’s just been a lot of outside noise, but our locker room is good, and that’s what it is to be an Indiana Fever.
Cunningham also referred to the Chicago Sky’s DiJonai Carrington, who recently faced ejection for a hard foul on Cunningham during a game in Chicago. Coach White initially defended Carrington’s style of play, unaware of the foul’s severity.
“Coach loves us,” Cunningham said. “She didn’t see the clip. At the end of the day, she didn’t see the clip. DiJonai is a great player and defender. [Stephanie White] coached her before, so give her her flowers. Ultimately, the distractions are from outside, but we’re united.”
In the Fever-Sky match, Carrington was issued a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected after an aggressive play against Cunningham. Following her ejection, Carrington posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE @indianafever” on Threads, later clarifying on X that it wasn’t directed at her foul assessment.
Confronted with questions about the ongoing distractions, Cunningham stated, “I really don’t care anymore.” She suggested future discussions on her podcast or in a potential book regarding the controversy surrounding her comments on transgender athletes.
In a postgame statement, Cunningham stressed the importance of focusing on the team’s overall performance. The Fever’s recent win over the Liberty brings them to a 20-12 record, placing them close behind the 23-11 Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA standings.
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