Big game sparks new nickname for Fever fan favorite.
Fever's Sophie Cunningham Declares New Nickname After Big Game originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Indiana Fever closed a four-game season series against Chicago with a 92-70 win on Saturday, completing a 4-0 sweep, this time without Caitlin Clark.
It was Clark’s 10th straight absence, and the Fever had gone 5-4 over the previous nine as coach Stephanie White reworked her perimeter rotation on the fly.
With two reserve guards (Sydney Colson, Aari McDonald) now out for the season, Indiana turned to Sophie Cunningham as the starting point guard and received exactly the steadiness they needed.
In 28 minutes of action, Cunningham put up 16 points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal. She matched her third-highest point total of the season and produced her second consecutive outing of at least 16 points.
As the team funneled into the tunnel postgame, Cunningham grinned into a camera, saying, "That’s a big dub baby. Point God," a tongue‑in‑cheek nod to her night steering the offense.
"That's a big dub, baby."
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) August 10, 2025
walk off the court with the crew after taking down the Sky 🎥 pic.twitter.com/AE08ZWKnFM
Sophie Cunningham: From Mizzou Star to Fever Fan Favorite
As a four‑year starter at Missouri (2015–2019), Cunningham averaged 17 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3 assists. She earned three first‑team All‑SEC selections and third‑team AP/USBWA All‑America honors as a senior.
Selected 13th in the 2019 WNBA Draft, she spent her first six seasons with the Phoenix Mercury. She broke out in 2022 by averaging 12.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 40% 3‑point shooting on 6.3 attempts per game.
Traded to the Fever before the 2025 season, Cunningham was brought in to add shooting and size at the guard spot as well as defensive versatility, grit and a veteran presence.
So far, it has worked.
2025 has brought career‑high efficiency: a 66.8 true shooting percentage (3FGs, FGs and FTs), a 63 effective field goal percentage (a weighted FG%) and a 12.6% usage percentage. She is averaging 8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal per game while flirting with 43.6% shooting from 3 and 47.9% from the field. The last two stats are career highs.
Most importantly, Cunningham has stepped into a larger role with Clark sidelined and has helped keep the Fever above .500.
How Indiana Has Held up Without Caitlin Clark
Entering Saturday, Indiana was 5-4 over its last nine without Clark; the rout of Chicago improved it to 6-4 in the 10 games of her current absence. Over the course of the season, the Fever have gone 10-9 without Clark, the franchise's star.
The offense has run through Aliyah Boston more often. Kelsey Mitchell has been charged with shot creation as the shot clock winds down, and Cunningham and Lexie Hull have supplied additional support.
That’s the kind of depth‑driven stability that travels in September and October.
If Clark remains out, expect Indiana's new "Point God" to continue to steer the ship.
Related: WNBA Team in Line for Punishment After Indiana Fever Game
Related: Lakers President Jeanie Buss Has Unexpected Offer for Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
