Injury Update On BYU Center Aly Khalifa After Big 12 Tournament Loss
Mar 14, 2024, 3:55 PM | Updated: 3:56 pm
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – BYU basketball was without starting center Aly Khalifa in the second half against Texas Tech.
The 6-foot-11 big man only played eight minutes in the 81-67 loss to Texas Tech due to an ankle he suffered in the game.
In the first half of the Big 12 Tournament Quarterfinal, Khalifa was seen taking off his shoes and limping to the locker room.
Aly Khalifa suffered an ankle injury during the Big 12 Tournament
He returned to the bench to be with his teammates but didn’t go back to game action.
“I just rolled my ankle, turned around, and it was my right ankle. So it’s pretty swollen,” Khalifa told KSL Sports after the loss to Texas Tech. “Me and the trainers talked about it, and we decided not to play because I was limping. So it was hurting. That’s why I didn’t play today.”
Khalifa is currently participating in Ramadan fasting until April 9. He acknowledged there was “a little bit” of fatigue for him during the eight minutes he played on Thursday against Texas Tech.
BYU will now have extended rest to get ready for the NCAA Tournament. In many bracketology forecasts, the Cougars are projected as a 5-seed, but they won’t learn their postseason destination until Sunday.
When BYU gets the at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament, the Cougars will play next Thursday in the first round of the Big Dance.
#BYU falls to Texas Tech in the Quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament.@Mitch_Harper shares his takeaways from Kansas City.#BYUHoops #GoCougs #Big12 pic.twitter.com/oZMkJEQ6nD
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 14, 2024
That’s already known as BYU doesn’t compete on Sundays.
BYU Basketball waits until Selection Sunday
The NCAA Tournament Committee honors BYU’s rule by avoiding placing the Cougars in quadrants that play games on Friday and Sunday during the opening weekend of the Big Dance.
Khalifa will continue to fast while healing up his ankle over the next week.
#BYU center @Aly_khalifa15 discussed with KSL Sports his first experience playing in the Big 12 Tournament while fasting during Ramadan.#BYUHoops #Big12 pic.twitter.com/ltlp2YY1eu
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 13, 2024
“There’s no question if my religion asked me to do something … I’m obviously going to do this 100%. I will pray every day,” Khalifa said. “I’m going to do everything I can to be a good person and religiously, obviously. That’s myself. This is my personality. It means a lot to me.”
Khalifa has played in 28 games for BYU this season, starting at center in 25 appearances.
The former Charlotte transfer averages 6.0 points, 4.2 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game this season.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
