In a fiery preseason clash between two WNBA rivals, Sophie Cunningham made her presence felt in a major way, dropping 21 points and grabbing 8 rebounds to lead the Indiana Fever to a dramatic overtime win over the Washington Mystics. But while Cunningham’s box score was impressive, it was her intensity and relentless edge that lit up the game — and drew the ire of the entire Mystics roster.

Cunningham Heats Up — and Heats Up the Mystics

From the opening minutes, it was clear that Cunningham wasn’t just playing to tune up for the regular season — she was playing with a chip on her shoulder. The veteran wing came out aggressively, knocking down deep threes, driving hard to the basket, and outmuscling defenders in the paint.

Midway through the third quarter, tensions flared after Cunningham absorbed a hard foul from Washington’s Shakira Austin. Words were exchanged, and both benches rose as officials stepped in to cool the moment. But it only fueled Sophie further.

“I don’t back down,” Cunningham said after the game. “You want to get physical? I’ll take that personally.”

Mystics Try to Rattle Her — It Backfires

Washington’s physical approach seemed designed to throw Cunningham off her rhythm, but it had the opposite effect. Each bump and shove only seemed to push her into another gear.

Cunningham answered with back-to-back threes, taunted defenders with fierce energy, and even stared down the Mystics bench after a late-game and-one. Her energy was contagious — even Caitlin Clark, sitting out to rest a minor ankle tweak, was seen cheering wildly from the sidelines.

By overtime, the Mystics were clearly frustrated. Cunningham drew a flagrant foul from veteran Natasha Cloud, who later said postgame:

“She’s tough, I’ll give her that — but there’s a line, and she knows how to push it.”

Fever Rally Behind the Newcomer

Cunningham, acquired by Indiana in the offseason, is quickly becoming a fan favorite. Known for her toughness and hustle, she’s providing the Fever with the kind of gritty leadership that complements their young core.

“She gives us an edge,” said Fever head coach Christie Sides. “She plays with fire, and the team feeds off it.”

The Fever were down by double digits at one point but stormed back late in the fourth, thanks to Cunningham’s clutch play and solid support from forward NaLyssa Smith and rookie guard Grace Berger.

Final Score: Fever 94, Mystics 89 (OT)

The preseason may not count in the standings, but make no mistake — this one meant something. Cunningham let her game (and her mouth) do the talking, and the Mystics — despite their best efforts to break her — couldn’t silence her.

As for Sophie?

“This is just the beginning,” she said with a grin. “I love being the villain if it means we win.”