Former Missouri women’s basketball star Sophie Cunningham helped Indiana back to a winning record Thursday night, as the Fever beat the Las Vegas Aces 81-54 in Indianapolis to move above .500 on the season.
It wasn’t Cunningham’s most active scoring night, as she went 1-of-4 from the field for two points.
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But, the Columbia native had three defensive rebounds, one assist and a steal in the win, which was Indiana’s largest margin of victory since a June 7 win over the Chicago Sky.
Cunningham recorded a +17 plus/minus over her 24 minutes on the court — her second straight game with a number that was a double-digit plus.
The Fever, who were playing without an injured Caitlin Clark for the fourth straight game, are now 9-8 on the season — seventh in WNBA standings.
Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana in scoring with 25 points. Aliyah Boston put up 20 for the Fever, and Natasha Howard had an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double. Aari McDonald added eight points to go with seven rebounds and seven assists.
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A’ja Wilson was the only Aces player to score in double-digits with a game-high 29 points.
Through 13 games with Indiana, Cunningham is averaging 5.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest. This is her first year with the Fever after an offseason trade from the Phoenix Mercury.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) and Indiana Fever guard Aari McDonald (2) react to a call Thursday, July 3, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrate from the bench Thursday, July 3, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The Fever were playing their first game since beating the Minnesota Lynx to claim the midseason WNBA Commissioner’s Cup. Cunningham scored a season-high 13 points and added seven rebounds in the championship matchup.
More: Kellie Harper lands first high school commitment of Missouri women’s basketball tenure
More: How have athletics scholarships changed at Mizzou? What to know about new roster limits
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Earlier this year, Cunningham was announced as a member of Missouri athletics’ 2025 Hall of Fame Class. The Rock Bridge High grad is the all-time leading scorer for Mizzou women’s basketball with 2,187 points. The Tigers have not been to the NCAA Tournament since Cunningham graduated in 2019.
Indiana and Cunningham next play the Los Angeles Sparks at 6 p.m. CDT Saturday in Indianapolis — the second game of a five-game homestand.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Mizzou alum Sophie Cunningham’s stats as Indiana Fever beat Las Vegas
