And in the center of the firestorm stood Sophie Cunningham—bruised, defiant, and absolutely unstoppable.

With Caitlin Clark sidelined for the first time in five years due to tightness in her left leg, the Indiana Fever entered Tuesday night’s matchup against the Washington Mystics facing more than just a scoreboard challenge. They were undermanned, underestimated, and by the end of the first quarter, down by 15 points and nearly buried.

But when Mystics rookie Kiki Iriafen body-slammed Cunningham to the hardwood in a moment so reckless it made the crowd gasp, something in Sophie ignited.

And then everything changed.

A Team Without Its Star

Let’s be clear: this wasn’t just any absence. Caitlin Clark has been the most electrifying player in women’s basketball for half a decade. Her absence was announced only shortly before tipoff, sending murmurs of concern through Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

“It’s a long season,” Coach Stephanie White said pregame. “We’re thinking long-term, not short-term. Caitlin’s health comes first.”

That left the Fever without their top scorer and emotional leader—making them ripe for a bruising.

The Mystics didn’t wait.

They came out swinging—literally. A punishing first quarter saw Indiana outscored 24-13, with their offense flatlining and their defense in disarray. Layups missed. Rotations broken. Energy gone.

They looked like prey.

The Hit Heard Around Indiana

With five minutes left in the second quarter, just as the Fever were clawing their way back, Kiki Iriafen’s hit on Sophie Cunningham stopped the game—and lit it on fire.

Fighting for position on a rebound, Iriafen wrapped Cunningham mid-air and slammed her to the court with force that looked more WWE than WNBA. Teammates froze. Officials stepped in. The crowd erupted.

Cunningham bounced up immediately—eyes burning, jaw clenched—and went nose-to-nose with the rookie.

“Don’t you ever—”
Her words, caught clearly on the broadcast, sliced through the arena noise.
“You don’t get to do that here.”

The officials reviewed the play. The result? A flagrant one. But fans weren’t buying it.

“That’s assault, not basketball,” one commentator said live.

The Mystics may have tried to send a message—but it backfired spectacularly.

Sophie’s Revenge Tour Begins

From that moment forward, Sophie Cunningham was possessed.

Every possession, every cut, every drive was personal. She attacked from the wing, the corner, the elbow. She pulled up for threes. She slashed to the rim. She played angry—but never out of control.

By halftime, she had 12 points, 3 rebounds, and a steal in just 11 minutes off the bench. And more importantly, she had closed the deficit to just three points.

“She was unshakable,” Coach White said later.
“She didn’t just respond. She led.”

“Don’t Poke the Dog”

The Fever locker room was buzzing at halftime—but not from panic. From belief.

This wasn’t the same Indiana squad that got pushed around last season. This was a team with backbone, anchored by veterans like Dana Bonner and Kelsey Mitchell, and fueled by the fury of Cunningham.

Early in the third, another hard foul sent Cunningham sprawling again—this time from Mystics veteran Brittney Sykes. And again, Bonner stepped in immediately.

“You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us,” she shouted, walking into Sykes’ path.
It was the Fever’s new identity, personified.

The arena felt it. The players felt it. The game changed.

Blonde Bombers and Broken Gameplans

With Caitlin Clark watching from the bench, it was Cunningham and Lexi Hull—dubbed by fans as the “Blonde Bombers”—who seized control.

Hull snagged four steals, added 13 points, and blanketed the Mystics’ backcourt with relentless pressure. Her pairing with Cunningham became a two-headed nightmare.

“They fed off each other,” said Fever assistant coach Darnell Brooks.
“It wasn’t one player replacing Caitlin—it was the team rediscovering who they could be.”

The Mystics, once physical aggressors, were now on their heels. Their body blows had only strengthened the resolve of the team they thought they could push around.

And in the fourth quarter, they paid for it.

Turning Pain Into Power

With just over two minutes left in regulation, the Fever completed the comeback—a 15-point deficit erased, crowd now at full roar.

Sophie Cunningham was everywhere. Drawing fouls. Hitting free throws. Diving for loose balls. Snatching rebounds. Playing with a controlled fury that transformed every possession into a battle.

“She’s a dog,” Coach White said postgame, using the highest form of basketball praise.
“Her energy raises the level of everyone around her—even from the bench.”

The game went to overtime.

And Sophie Cunningham finished what she started.

The Knockout Blow

In overtime, Cunningham dropped the final 7 points, including two clutch free throws and a dagger three-pointer that sent the Fever bench into a frenzy.

She ended the night with:

21 points

8 rebounds

87.5% from the free throw line

A city on its feet

When the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard read:
Fever 85, Mystics 81.

But the real victory was cultural. This wasn’t Caitlin Clark’s team carrying Sophie. This was Sophie carrying all of them.

Mystics Exit Without Shaking Hands

The Mystics? They left the court in silence. No handshakes. No smiles. Just cold stares and a quick jog to the tunnel.

They had tried to bully Indiana—and instead, found themselves bullied off the court.

“You want to body slam me?” Cunningham said afterward with a grin.
“Cool. I’ll just drop 21 on you.”

A Statement Made

This wasn’t just a preseason win. It was a thunderous, unavoidable statement.

The Indiana Fever are no longer soft.
They’re no longer dependent on one superstar.
They’re no longer afraid to fight back.

And with Caitlin Clark set to return soon?

You better be ready.

Because now, they’ve got heart, defense… and Sophie Cunningham with something to prove.