Sophie Cunningham Drains 3 Threes in Fever's 101-95 Win as Toronto Crowd Boos

Q: Could an unusually warm arena derail Kelsey Mitchell's historic WNBA scoring streak just as she ties the all-time record?

Yes, it could if the overheating lingers, but there is no clear sign yet that Mitchell’s streak is in immediate danger. Mitchell still scored 29 points against Toronto before leaving in the third quarter, extending her run to 20 straight games with at least 20 points and tying A’ja Wilson’s WNBA record. Indiana coach Stephanie White said afterward that Mitchell “just got overheated” in what she described as the second straight hot game environment for the Fever, and she indicated there was no immediate evidence of a more serious issue. That matters because the streak now depends less on Mitchell’s scoring form than on her physical recovery and availability. She has been one of the league’s hottest scorers, and Indiana has won 10 of its last 12 games, so performance is not the concern. The risk is whether heat-related fatigue forces her to miss time or limits her minutes in Thursday’s game at Dallas. There is also understandable sensitivity around any overheating episode involving Mitchell because she previously dealt with rhabdomyolysis late last season. But reporting after the Toronto game said White did not believe Tuesday’s situation was related to that earlier medical problem. So the warm arena did not derail the streak Tuesday; Mitchell tied the record anyway. The real question is whether the aftereffects carry into the next game. Based on what Indiana has said so far, the record appears at risk only if the overheating proves more than a short-term issue.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 19

Three made 3-pointers from Sophie Cunningham helped Indiana close out a 101-95 road win over Toronto as fans booed her nearly every touch.
The reaction followed Cunningham's earlier comments that girls should not have to share locker rooms or compete against biological men, remarks that had already drawn backlash around the WNBA.
Cunningham did not escalate after the game, instead praising the Tempo crowd and city and saying boos and cheers are part of sports.
The result extended Indiana's winning streak to five games, while the expansion Tempo dropped their 11th straight.