The Indiana Fever will face Atlanta Dream tonight (7:30 PM ET) for their third official match of the 2025 season. Caitlin Clark and company will aim to recover from their 91-90 loss to the Dream, in which they were close to complete a comeback with an impressive last quarter. This time, Sophie Cunningham will be available for the match, the Indiana Fever confirmed.
Cunningham, who signed for the team after spending six seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, has not made her debut with the Fever, as she was struggling with a right ankle injury sustained during the preseason.
While she has returned to practice, head coach Stephanie White has taken precautions with the guard. “I hope so, obviously we have to go through today with no setbacks, but I’m hopeful that she’ll be able to be in uniform and be on the floor for us,” White told reporters at Wednesday practice.
Before the match, White confirmed that Cunningham won’t have a minutes restriction, per Chloe Peterson from IndyStar. “The most important thing for us was that she had her balance back, in terms of her explossiveness and her landing, and that she wasn’t compensating any weight that could set up for future injury,” White said. “She’s close to normal, so, we’re ready to give her a go.”
Cunningham has only played for the Fever in the team’s first preseason match, recording up 21 points, eight rebounds and two assists. For now, White has brought other talents off the bench, such as Lexie Hull, who played 29 minutes during the last match.
The Fever want the payback
During the match on Tuesday, the Fever struggled with depth, especially in the first quarters. “Just looking at how we came out, we came out kinda flat and they got whatever they wanted initially. Obviously, we fought back, but it’s about not putting ourselves in that hole, initially. We have to be ready,” Aliyah Boston, who recorded a double-double, told reporters.
Despite the loss, Clark had an incredible night, recording 26 points, 12 assists, and 5 rebounds. She surpassed Sabrina Ionescu’s record with six matches of 25 points (or more) and 10 assists (or more), among other milestones.