Indiana
Oregon’s Bear Alexander Reveals ‘Fire Lit’ by Ducks’ Loss to Indiana
The No. 8 Oregon Ducks lost their first game of the season to the No. 3 Indiana Hoosiers, and Oregon defensive lineman Bear Alexander revealed the team’s mindset as they prepare to face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
“This one definitely lit a fire up under our coaches, I’m sure the players too. We back to work, it’s a work week. We got to grow from it, learn from it, continue to get better as the season goes on,” said Alexander when speaking to the media after Tuesday’s practice.
The Oregon defensive lineman was asked how the Ducks are responding to the loss with a spot in the College Football Playoff still in reach.
“It’s just something we can’t let linger,” said Alexander. “We can’t doubt ourself on it. Those guys, obviously, Indiana’s a good team. They played a cleaner game than us, so just something we got to shake back from, improve, get better as a group. Come out ready to kick ass.”
Alexander highlighted the usual suspects like Oregon quarterback Dante Moore and center Iapani “Poncho” Laloulu as leaders who have stepped up after the loss. However, Alexander also noted freshmen running backs Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. as leaders of the team.
“This team is full of leaders,” said Alexander.
Despite being a young team, Oregon coach Dan Lanning has often praised the maturity of the Ducks, but how the team responds after the loss to Indiana will be their toughest litmus test yet.
MORE: Indiana Coach Curt Cignetti Doesn’t Hold Back After Upset Of Oregon Ducks
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MORE: Oregon Ducks Quarterback Dante Moore Reveals What Went Wrong In Loss To Indiana
MORE: Biggest Winners, Losers From Oregon’s Loss Against Indiana
On Monday, Lanning highlighted how Alexander has been able to make an impact in his limited time at Oregon. Prior to transferring to the Ducks, Alexander played for the Georgia Bulldogs and USC Trojans.
“He’s doing a really good job. He’s improved throughout the season. He’s a guy, we talk about taking our medicine every single week and saying, what can we improve? What can we get better at? He’s a guy that’s done a good job of attacking those things, each week, and proven to be a guy that can play snaps for us,” said Lanning.
On Tuesday, Alexander spoke to the media about how he’s changed and grown at Oregon.
“It was just a lot of stuff I was still growing from. We just prepared every day, been pushed by Coach T (Tony Tuioti), Coach Tosh (Lupoi). Just having elite preparation to get to this point, continue to execute,” Alexander said.
Specifically, Alexander revealed the message that defensive line coach Tony Tuioti gave him:
“Take it one day at a time. There’s no rush to success. Just take it one day at a time, continue to be a good person, keep treating your teammates good and the guys in the room, and know that I’ll pan out,” said Alexander.
Fernando Mendoza did not attend Indiana University’s visit to the White House commemorating the Hoosiers’ college football national championship on Monday. The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback said earlier this month that he would not attend if it interfered with any activities with his new team.
“I’m on the bottom of the totem pole here,” Mendoza said following a rookie minicamp practice. “I got to prove myself. I can’t miss practice. I don’t know anything official. I don’t have the calendar, but I just wouldn’t. As a rookie, I don’t think that’s a good look, and I want to try to best serve my teammates. And I don’t know if that’d be accomplishing that goal.”
According to the team’s official offseason schedule, the Raiders did not have any formal practices or workouts on Monday. The team’s next organized activity is May 18, its first OTA workout.
“Fernando couldn’t be here today because, as I said, he’s now a member of the Las Vegas Raiders,” President Donald Trump said in his address. “Let’s see how good of a team they have, and I think he’s gonna do great. He’s a winner.”
Mendoza wasn’t the only absence. Center Pat Coogan and cornerback D’Angelo Ponds were among the other Hoosiers not in attendance for the event due to NFL obligations. Indiana had a program-record eight players selected in April’s NFL Draft.
Trump highlighted Mendoza’s accomplishments and contributions to the school’s first football national title. He celebrated Mendoza as Indiana’s inaugural Heisman Trophy winner and praised his fourth-quarter touchdown run in the championship game against Miami.
“He’s gonna be a good one,” Trump said.
Indiana was well-represented by returning members of the team. Charlie Becker, one of Mendoza’s go-to receivers during the College Football Playoffs, and Jamari Sharpe, whose late interception secured the title-game victory, both spoke on behalf of the school, as did head coach Curt Cignetti.
Mendoza is one of four members of the national champion Hoosiers who joined the Raiders this offseason. Running back Roman Hemby and wide receiver E.J. Williams Jr. signed as undrafted free agents in the days following the draft. Wide receiver Jonathan Brady earned a contract after impressing as a tryout player during rookie minicamp.
MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) — Police are investigating a triple shooting that took place on Muncie’s south side Sunday evening that left a woman dead and two men injured.
According to police, at approximately 5:27 p.m., Muncie Police Officers were dispatched to the 2700 block of South Walnut Street in reference to reports of several people being shot.
Officers arrived and located three gunshot victims: A 23-year-old female who died from “multiple wounds,” a 39-year-old male who is hospitalized in stable condition, and a 40-year-old male who was airlifted to an Indianapolis hospital in critical condition.
Police say a suspect is in custody, a 21-year-old man.
Police did not provide any additional information.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Muncie Police Detective Division at 765-747-4867 or dispatch at 765-747-4838.
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Sports Seriously
The Indiana Pacers lost 63 games this season for a chance at a franchise-changing lottery pick. On Sunday, May 10, they lost that chance, too.
All Pacers president Kevin Pritchard could do was apologize for taking the risk.
Indiana’s pick landed at No. 5 in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, one spot outside the top four protections attached to a midseason trade. The selection now belongs to the Los Angeles Clippers .
Shortly after the results were announced, Pritchard took social media and apologized.
“I’m really sorry to all our fans,” Pritchard wrote. “I own taking this risk. Surprised it came up 5th after this year. I thought we were due some luck.”
The Pacers entered the lottery with a 52.1% chance of securing a top-four pick after finishing 19-63, the second-worst record in the NBA. It wasn’t enough.
Indiana sent Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 first-round pick to Los Angeles in the midseason deal for Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown, along with the conditional 2026 first-rounder. The pick was theirs to keep only if it landed in the top four.
Zubac appeared in just five games for Indiana after the trade because of a fractured rib.
“This team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year,” Pritchard wrote. “We have always been resillient.”
Pritchard will have to be resilient if he looks at the replies to his statement. About half of the Pacers fans’ comments were not happy, and fans of other teams called him out for “tanking.”
There were also a large number of fans who were supportive of Pritchard taking that risk.
Tyrese Haliburton is expected to return next season after tearing his Achilles in last year’s NBA Finals. The Pacers will have him Pascal Siakam and a roster they think is built to compete. They just won’t have that first-round pick to add to it.
The 2026 NBA Draft begins June 23 in Brooklyn.
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