Sophie Cunningham Injured, Kelsey Mitchell Explodes & Coach Stephanie White Brought to Tears in Overtime Win

In a stunning overtime showdown, the Indiana Fever secured a 99–93 victory over the Connecticut Sun—an emotional rollercoaster that saw injury, explosive scoring, and raw emotion collide.

Sophie Cunningham’s Harrowing Injury

Early in the second quarter, Indiana’s guard Sophie Cunningham suffered a concerning right knee injury when Sun guard Bria Hartley collided with her under the basket. Cunningham immediately collapsed, grimacing in pain, and was promptly helped off the court, unable to return. Prior to the collision, she had tallied no points, one rebound, and a turnover in her 10 minutes of play. The team is now anxiously awaiting medical updates to determine the severity of her condition.

Kelsey Mitchell’s Spectacular Heroics

With the Fever already short-handed—Caitlin Clark, Aari McDonald, and Sydney Colson were all sidelined—the pressure ramped up. Enter Kelsey Mitchell. Held scoreless in the first half, she exploded in the second, ultimately finishing with a career-high 38 points—the most by any WNBA player this season. Her dominance continued in overtime, punctuated by back-to-back 3‑pointers that sealed the win and left the Sun reeling.

A Coach’s Emotional Response

Amidst the chaos, Fever head coach Stephanie White was visibly emotional. Struck by the severity of Cunningham’s fall, she reacted candidly to the moment: “Holy shit,” she said, signaling both concern and frustration.

Family Speaks Out

Cunningham’s family quickly chimed in. Her sister Lindsey criticized the WNBA’s officiating on social media, calling out the league for focusing more on fines than on safeguarding players. Their public reaction underscores the growing concern over player safety and officiating standards.

Looking Ahead

This win leaves the Fever at 19–16, keeping their playoff hopes alive despite an already injury-ravaged roster. With Cunningham’s status unknown and Clark still sidelined, Indiana’s depth and resilience will be severely tested in the final stretch of the season. One thing is certain: Kelsey Mitchell’s fearless performance gave the team—and its fans—something to rally around in uncertain times.