Nebraska basketball hosts key transfer portal target, plus more Cornhuskers news

The Nebraska basketball roster is close to being finalized. However, there is at least one spot still available, and Fred Hoiberg has an idea of who he wants to fill it.

On Saturday, after making a flurry of transfer portal commitments over the previous week — five total — Nebraska basketball has another target on the radar — Ezra Ausar, who played for Utah last season. The 6-foot-9 forward visited the Cornhuskers on Saturday, according to Husker Online. 

Ausar has 73 career starts in college, playing two seasons for East Carolina before transferring to Utah last season. He started 29 games and averaged 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 6.4 free-throw attempts per game, all in 23 minutes a game.

Even as a true freshman, Ausar averaged 9.8 points per game. He’s averaged double figures in scoring in each of the past two seasons, and it’s impressive he moved up to the Big 12 and increased his scoring average.

Ausar had a 27-percent usage rate in 2024-25. He’s a typical four and does most of his damage on post-ups, cuts/rolls (ball screens), isolations, and in transition. He’s also a solid defender, averaging 0.9 steals per game for his career. He doesn’t offer much in terms of playmaking but would have led Nebraska basketball in free-throw attempts per game (6.4). Brice Williams led the way for the Cornhuskers in 2024-25 with 6.1.

Nebraska has three quality bigs, but you need more than that in the Big Ten. There are some other options on the roster, such as Justin Bolis, who are unproven but have potential. Ausar isn’t that. He would compete for a starting job, but would probably play similar minutes whether or not he started, sort of like Connor Essegian.

Nebraska needs high-level scorers now that Williams and Juwan Gary are out of eligibility. Kendall Blue possesses a lot of the same traits as Brice, but Ausar would give the Huskers another proven double-digit scorer.

Nebraska softball dominates Northwestern

Jorday Bahl had a stellar day on the mound and at the plate in the Cornhuskers’ 11-1 win over Northwestern on Saturday. Bahl allowed just one run on two hits in five innings of work. She struck out 11 batters as the Huskers run-ruled Northwestern, thanks in part to Jordy’s five RBIs.

Bahl blasted a three-run home run, as well as a double. Hannah Camenzind was also 2 for 3 at the plate with a home run and two RBI. Nebraska softball is 30-10 overall and 9-3 in the Big Ten.

Nebraska baseball loses series to Iowa

It seemed like Nebraska baseball was turning a corner after a series win over Oregon State, a top-5 team at the time, as well as a win over a ranked Kansas team earlier this week.

However, Nebraska wasn’t able to maintain that momentum, dropping the first two games on its road series against Iowa. Will Walsh and the Huskers lost a pitcher’s duel on Friday night. Walsh allowed one run on two hits in seven innings in a 1-0 defeat.

Iowa managed one home run, but that’s all the Hawkeyes needed as the Cornhuskers managed just three hits. On Saturday, the Huskers led 6-5 heading into the bottom of the eighth, before a six-run inning for the Hawkeyes led to an 11-6 loss, which clinched the series win for Iowa.

Case Sanderson was 2 for 4 in the win. Cael Frost, Will Jesske, and Joshua Overbeek each hit home runs in the loss.

Nebraska women’s bowling finishes third at nationals

The Nebraska Cornhuskers finished third at the NCAA women’s bowling championships. Youngstown State beat Nebraska 2-0 on Friday in the first round, yet the Huskers beat Wichita State before dropping the loser-takes-third matchup to Youngstown State (2-0) on Saturday, forcing the Huskers to settle for third.

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