Caitlin Clark Took the Hits—Sophie Cunningham Made Sure They Didn’t Go Unanswered
It was physical. It was fiery. And by the final buzzer, the Indiana Fever had more than just a win—they had a message.
The Fever edged out the Chicago Sky 89–83 in a game defined by elbows, eye pokes, and rising tension. Caitlin Clark took the hits. Sophie Cunningham delivered the response.
Midway through the second quarter, Jacy Sheldon’s hand clipped Clark’s face. Minutes later, Marina Mabrey leveled her with an off-ball shove. The refs shrugged. The Fever bench didn’t. And neither did Sophie.
Sophie Cunningham checked in and instantly set the tone: drew a charge, drained a three, stared Sheldon down. “This wasn’t defense—it was personal,” ESPN’s Holly Rowe noted.
While Sophie brought the fire, Clark stayed ice-cold: 28 points, 9 assists, 4 threes—including a logo-range dagger. But the story wasn’t just stats—it was Sophie’s presence.
When Mabrey fouled Clark again late in the fourth, cameras caught Sophie ready to erupt. “I’m not built to let that slide,” she said postgame.
Fans erupted online:
#ProtectCaitlinClark
#SophieTheEnforcer
Even Damian Lillard weighed in: “That’s a teammate right there.”
The league’s silence? Deafening. But the message is clear: You can foul Clark, but you won’t faze her—not with Sophie standing guard.
Together, they’re not just teammates. They’re a warning.
And the WNBA just got it. Loud and clear.
