BYU ‘Hopeful’ Aly Khalifa Returns For Kansas State Game
Feb 8, 2024, 6:12 PM | Updated: 6:15 pm
PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball was without starting center Aly Khalifa the previous two games due to an illness.
During that two-game stretch away from Provo, BYU posted a 1-1 record with a win at West Virginia before falling at Oklahoma this past Tuesday in Norman.
BYU returns home to host Kansas State at the Marriott Center this Saturday night.
Mark Pope is “hopeful” Aly Khalifa will be available against Kansas State
Pope was asked about Khalifa’s status in a preview of the game on Thursday. Pope kept it brief.
“I don’t know,” Pope said with a laugh.
He continued, “It’s a performance team question, but we’re hopeful.”
Khalifa did not participate in practice on Thursday, but he was in attendance observing.
At the end of every practice, BYU closes out with a free throw attempt. Khalifa was tasked with attempting the free throw to end the day.
If the player misses, the entire team runs from the baseline for a set of ladder runs. Khalifa missed the free throw.
— Aly Khalifa (@Aly_khalifa15) January 28, 2024
Walk-on guard Jared McGregor then stepped up to the free-throw line and buried an attempt from the charity stripe to close out the practice.
Before missing the past two games, Khalifa started in 14 consecutive games at the five for BYU. The “Egyptian Magician” is seventh nationally with a 3.48 assist/turnover ratio this season.
After Dallin Hall, Khalifa is viewed as one of the key playmakers in running BYU’s high-powered offense that averages 83.6 points per game this season.
Khalifa is averaging 5.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 17 game appearances this season.
Marcus Adams participated in practice on Thursday
Other personnel notes from practice on Thursday include the presence of freshman Marcus Adams.
Mark Pope noted last week that Adams has dealt with some nagging injuries (ankle, knee) this season that might not get resolved this year. Still, Adams participated in all of Thursday’s practice.
During one portion of the practice, Adams buried back-to-back three-pointers.
The former Kansas and Gonzaga signee was a four-star recruit in the 2023 recruiting cycle. Adams has appeared in one game this season. That was against Bellarmine in December, days after a West Virginia judge placed a restraining order on the NCAA’s two-time transfer rule.
Like Khalifa, BYU walk-on forward Townsend Tripple was in attendance at practice but did not participate.
No. 21 BYU vs. Kansas State
Date: Saturday, February 10, 2024
Tip-off: 8 p.m. (MT)
TV: ESPN2
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)
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.
