Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus No. 9-Seed Cincinnati (1st Round) on March 10, 2026 , Loss , 66, to, 73
Final Score
Men's Basketball
66
vs No. 9-Seed Cincinnati (1st Round)
73
The University of Utah Athletics
Featuring the Runnin’ Utes: Ezra Ausar
11/11/2024 5:30 PM | Men's Basketball
The transfer forward is ready to go with the Runnin' Utes as the non-conference slate continues
Ezra Ausar didn't grow up a basketball player like many of the players that reach the Division 1 level but when the time came to compete on the hardcourt, Ausar was unstoppable.
He was a multi-sport athlete during his youth in Atlanta, Ga., playing baseball in middle school and basketball for recreational purposes while his passion lied with football. Ausar played football all throughout high school and didn't start taking basketball seriously until his junior year of high school.
Despite the raw basketball talent Ausar presented, the sudden shift to hoops was no easy task.
"It was a challenging journey," said Ausar. "My family, mentors and friends were my biggest motivators to keep going … I told myself just to stay grounded and stay humble through the process. I chased what I wanted to do, and now I'm here, and it came a long way. I'm proud of myself, and I know people are proud of me, so I keep going with the journey."
After Ausar became dedicated to basketball, the possibilities were limitless. He transferred to IMG Academy (FL) for his senior season and led the Ascenders to a 21-3 record. For his prep year, the Runnin' Utes newcomer spent a season at the Liberty Heights Basketball Institute in Charlotte, N.C. Ausar averaged a double-double in his only season there and guided Liberty Heights to a 30-3 record.
To highlight his pre-collegiate career, Ausar was named a McDonald's All-American nominee at the end of his l0ne season with Liberty Heights.
"That was dope. I'm just so proud of myself because I came a long, long, long way … Being a nominee, that was a blessing."
To begin his collegiate career, Ausar committed to East Carolina and quickly made his presence known. The freshman appeared in 32-of-33 games and became the first Pirate since 2019 to be unanimously named to the All-AAC Freshman Team. In his second season in Greenville, Ausar finished third on the team in scoring while shooting over 50-percent from the floor for the second-consecutive season.
At the end of his sophomore season, Ausar entered the portal and committed to the Runnin' Utes by the end of May.
Despite the time put into basketball on the court, Ausar's commitment to giving back to the community will always be important. He contributed to the Turkey Drive at East Carolina in 2023 and a back-to-school giveaway for families in the metro Atlanta area.
"That's a part of my character," Ausar noted. "That was everything to me, just doing a lot for the community, because I know how people deal with everyday challenges … Giving back is just something I always wanted to do and still always going to do in the future."
While basketball is one of Ausar's top passions, his competitiveness is nonstop.
"I'm fire at bowling," he exclaimed. "I went and tore [the team] up, that was definitely one of the first things I did. I love bowling more than anything and I got that from my friends back home."
On a new team, Ausar is ready to go to work with the Runnin' Utes in his junior season.
He was a multi-sport athlete during his youth in Atlanta, Ga., playing baseball in middle school and basketball for recreational purposes while his passion lied with football. Ausar played football all throughout high school and didn't start taking basketball seriously until his junior year of high school.
Despite the raw basketball talent Ausar presented, the sudden shift to hoops was no easy task.
"It was a challenging journey," said Ausar. "My family, mentors and friends were my biggest motivators to keep going … I told myself just to stay grounded and stay humble through the process. I chased what I wanted to do, and now I'm here, and it came a long way. I'm proud of myself, and I know people are proud of me, so I keep going with the journey."
After Ausar became dedicated to basketball, the possibilities were limitless. He transferred to IMG Academy (FL) for his senior season and led the Ascenders to a 21-3 record. For his prep year, the Runnin' Utes newcomer spent a season at the Liberty Heights Basketball Institute in Charlotte, N.C. Ausar averaged a double-double in his only season there and guided Liberty Heights to a 30-3 record.
To highlight his pre-collegiate career, Ausar was named a McDonald's All-American nominee at the end of his l0ne season with Liberty Heights.
"That was dope. I'm just so proud of myself because I came a long, long, long way … Being a nominee, that was a blessing."
To begin his collegiate career, Ausar committed to East Carolina and quickly made his presence known. The freshman appeared in 32-of-33 games and became the first Pirate since 2019 to be unanimously named to the All-AAC Freshman Team. In his second season in Greenville, Ausar finished third on the team in scoring while shooting over 50-percent from the floor for the second-consecutive season.
At the end of his sophomore season, Ausar entered the portal and committed to the Runnin' Utes by the end of May.
Despite the time put into basketball on the court, Ausar's commitment to giving back to the community will always be important. He contributed to the Turkey Drive at East Carolina in 2023 and a back-to-school giveaway for families in the metro Atlanta area.
"That's a part of my character," Ausar noted. "That was everything to me, just doing a lot for the community, because I know how people deal with everyday challenges … Giving back is just something I always wanted to do and still always going to do in the future."
While basketball is one of Ausar's top passions, his competitiveness is nonstop.
"I'm fire at bowling," he exclaimed. "I went and tore [the team] up, that was definitely one of the first things I did. I love bowling more than anything and I got that from my friends back home."
On a new team, Ausar is ready to go to work with the Runnin' Utes in his junior season.
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