Sophie Cunningham’s Physical Appearance Draws Attention During Indiana Fever Game

"So Sophie's got a black eye??" asked an X user.

"Are the announcers just gonna ignore Sophie Cunningham's black eye??" said another.

"Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham is a fighter," admired one fan. "Black eye, busted lip, still fighting."

Others wondered when and how and why it happened, but there was no clear incident that led to the mark on her eye.

She did have several scrappy moments with her former Mercury teammates, including forward DeWanna Bonner, who was waived by the Fever in June.

Fever vs. Mercury Game Recap

Cunningham made five three-pointers and led the Fever with 18 points on Thursday, but that is not all.

• New season high — Cunningham's 18 points were a new season high. Her career high is 36 points.
• Mixed crowd reception — The Mercury made a tribute video for Cunningham's return. She was cheered at the beginning of the game but faced some boos later on.
• Injuries strike Fever — Cunningham did not start the second half (but did return to the game) because of a minor left ankle issue. Fever guard Sydney Colson was forced to exit the game with a non-contact injury. Caitlin Clark missed her ninth straight game with a right groin injury.
• Alyssa Thomas makes history — The Phoenix star assisted her fiancée, Bonner, to complete an 18-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist triple-double. Thomas became the first player in WNBA history to record three consecutive triple-doubles.

What's Next for Indiana Fever?

It was Indiana's second straight loss, dropping them to 17-14 on the season. They are 9-9 without Clark.

Thursday's defeat drops the Fever 2.5 games behind the Mercury (19-11) in the WNBA standings. They still have a 2-game cushion over the Golden State Valkyries (14-15) for the eighth and final playoff position.

Cunningham will have two days to heal up her eye before the Fever take on the Chicago Sky on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.