Sophie Cunningham missed the Indiana Fever’s game against the Chicago Sky on Thursday due to an elbow injury. She has since returned to action following a PRP injection and earned praise from her head coach, Stephanie White.
Cunningham saw action versus the Connecticut Sun two days later. She also tied her career-high six three-pointers on Tuesday when Indiana defeated the Toronto Tempo 113-91. During her postgame availability, White praised the 29-year-old for her toughness. She also highlighted how Cunningham played through the issue.
Cunningham revealed after the game that she had gotten a PRP injection to help accelerate the healing of her shoulder. White reacted to the update, commending the veteran for her mental fortitude.
“She's tough as nails," White said of Cunningham. "She’s somebody who never complains about it and plays through pain. You’ve seen her. She’s tough as [expletive].”
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Cunningham finished Tuesday’s matchup with 24 points on 8-for-11 shooting, including 6-for-7 from beyond the arc. She added six rebounds and two assists in 24 minutes. Her hot shooting complemented Kelsey Mitchell, Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston’s impressive performances. The trio recorded 27, 21 and 18 points, respectively.
Cunningham’s strong two-game stretch has helped the Fever extend their winning streak to four games. They’ll aim to make it five straight victories on Thursday when they host Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Indiana is in the midst of a favorable schedule, with four of its next five games at home. It provides the team with a good chance to continue stringing wins together and put its early-season struggles behind.
Cunningham and Co. started the campaign by splitting their first 10 assignments. They are now 9-5 and beginning to live up to expectations as legitimate title contenders.
