New team, same Sophie Cunningham.
The former Rock Bridge and Missouri women’s basketball standout made her competitive debut for the Indiana Fever on Thursday evening, coming off the bench to score nine points as the Fever beat the Atlanta Dream 81-76 on the road in Atlanta.
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Cunningham was 3-of-6 shooting from the field, including a 2-of-4 mark from 3-point range. She checked into the game with three minutes remaining in the first quarter and her first points for her new team came on a Caitlin Clark-assisted 3-pointer with two seconds remaining in the quarter.
The Columbia local also collected six rebounds, dished out three assists and had a block. She had a +10 plus/minus in her 20 minutes on the court. Cunningham missed the first two games of the Fever’s season with a right ankle injury sustained during a preseason game.
Natasha Howard led Indiana with 26 points in the win. Clark had 11 points and six assists.
Cunningham was involved in one of the WNBA’s marquee offseason trades as she made the move from the Phoenix Mercury to join the Fever. The former Mizzou player is playing her seventh season in the league, and her first away from Phoenix.
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“She brings a level of energy that is huge and I think not playing in a couple games, not getting a chance to practice fully before getting back out there, I was just really proud of her for the energy she brought,” Indiana guard Lexie Hull said after Thursday night’s game, per a Missouri news release. “She made some big plays down the stretch, getting steals and getting deflections. We needed her tonight. Just really proud of her coming out and being able to compete like that.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MAY 22: Sophie Cunningham #8 of the Indiana Fever reacts after their 81-76 win over the Atlanta Dream at State Farm Arena on May 22, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Cunningham recently was announced as a member of Missouri Athletics’ 2025 Hall of Fame Class. The Rock Bridge High grad is the Mizzou women’s basketball team’s all-time leading scorer with 2,187 points. The Tigers have not been to the NCAA Tournament since Cunningham graduated in 2019.
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The Fever next play at noon Saturday against the New York Liberty in Indianapolis. Cunningham is expected to be available. The game will air on CBS.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: How former Mizzou star Sophie Cunningham played in Indiana Fever debut
