The post Sophie Cunningham sounds alarm for Fever ahead of Dream game appeared first on ClutchPoints.
The much-anticipated return of superstar Caitlin Clark ended on a whimper for the Indiana Fever after losing to the Golden State Valkyries, 80-61, on Wednesday.
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The Valkyries held off a strong run by the Fever in the third quarter and ultimately took control of the game. Indiana suffered its second straight defeat and dropped to 9-10.
Clark, who missed their last five games due to a groin injury, finished with 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting, with five rebounds, and six assists.
Ahead of their game against the Atlanta Dream on Thursday, forward Sophie Cunningham stressed that the Fever need to have a deeper sense of urgency to address their up-and-down campaign.
“I think tomorrow night you’re gonna see a lot of fight. We’re starting to get a little bit pissed off and I think that’s what we need. We need a fire under our butts,” said Cunningham in a video posted by The Athletic’s James Boyd.
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“We’re running out of time, to be honest. I think that’s gonna light a fire under our butts. So hopefully, you’ll gonna see that energy shift tomorrow.”
There’s no time to rest for the Fever, who’ll play in back-to-back games with the midseason break on the horizon. When asked about this, the 28-year-old Cunningham waxed philosophical.
“We’re all a little bit exhausted, but everyone is. We’ve got a lot of games this season, that’s part of being a pro,” said the former Missouri standout.
“What a blessing we get to dribble an orange basketball for a living. Sometimes, it’s (about) taking a step back and having a better perspective and being grateful for it.”
Cunningham was signed by the Fever in the offseason and has quickly become a fan favorite with her energy, fire, and fun-loving personality. She’s averaging 5.1 points and 3.7 rebounds coming off the bench for the Fever.
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