Khalif Battle
G || 6-5 || 185 || Sr.
Hillside, N.J. (Trenton Catholic/Butler/Temple)
Battle has two years of eligibility remaining … Battle played his freshman season at Butler before transferring to Temple … Played 11 of the Owls’ 16 games in a COVID-shorted 2020-21 season, missing the first five games due to injury, and only played the first seven games to receive a medical redshirt in 2021-22 … In 2022-23, Battle averaged a team-best 17.9 points in 27 games, including 13 games with 20-plus points, and ranked 10th in the NCAA in free throw percentage … In his collegiate career, Battle has played in 69 games (19 starts) and scored 871 points, averaging 12.6 points and 3.2 rebounds. He has shot 40.6% from the field, 35.4% from 3-point and 84.1% from the free throw line … Graduated from Temple in the Summer of 2023 with a B.A. degree in Adult and Organizational Development and he will pursue a second undergraduate degree from Arkansas in Food, Nutrition & Health.
2022-23 (R-Junior at Temple):
- Ranked 10th in the NCAA (1st in the AAC) in free throw percentage (.898)
- Ranked 4th in the AAC in scoring (17.9 ppg) … Also ranked 2nd in 3-pointers made per game (2.85), 6th in 3-point percentage (.350) and 10th in free throws made (97).
- Led the team in scoring 15 times, led the team in rebounding five times and led the team in assists three times … Also, led the team in points and rebounds in the same game four times, led the team in points and assists twice and led the team in points, rebounds and assists once.
- Scored 20 points in a team-best 13 games, including a four-game stretch early in the season (26 vs Richmond, 25 vs Drexel, 22 at La Salle and 27 vs VCU) and a five-game stretch late in the year (25 vs South Florida, 26 at UCF, 24 vs Houston, 27 at SMU and 25 at Memphis) … The five-game streak was the longest streak of consecutive 20-point games by an Owl since the 2018-19 season.
- Named American Athletic Conference and Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Week (12/4) … Averaged 24.5 points per game in the Owls’ 2-0 week .. Shot 15-for-34 from the field (44.1%), 8-for-18 from 3-point (44.4%) and 11-for-11 (100%) from the line … Against La Salle, scored a game-high 22 points, including 4-of-8 from three-point range … Followed that a season-high 27 points in a win over VCU while setting a career-high with four steals.
- MVP of Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase despite the Owls’ going 1-2 … Scored a game-high 24 points in win over Rutgers …Tallied 17 points against St. John’s …Scored 26 of the team’s 49 points (thanks to 10-of-20 shooting from the field) in the finale versus Richmond.
- Posted team highs in points (15), rebounds (8) and assists (6) in the win over Maryland-Eastern Shore.
- Tallied 21 points in a win over #16 Villanova.
- Pumped in a game-high 24 points in a loss to #3 Houston.
- Had a game-high 26 pts, including nine in OT, in a 77-70 win over UCF.
- Tallied 25 pts, including seven of the team’s nine in OT, in the win over USF.
- Was voted preseason second team All-American Athletic Conference.
2021-22 (Junior at Temple):
- Received a medical redshirt as he only played seven games before suffering a season-ending injury to his left foot (fractured fifth metatarsal) in La Salle game (12/1) … Was leading the AAC in scoring (21.4 ppg), and the team in field goal percentage (.538/2nd AAC), three-point percentage (.488/1st AAC) and threes per game (3.0/2nd AAC) at time of injury
- Led the team in scoring in six of his seven games … Scored 20 or more points in five of the seven.
- Named AAC Player of the Week for his 29-point effort in the win over Delaware, going 0-of-18 from the field, 2-of-3 from 3-PT and 7-of-8 at the line.
- Had 22 in the opener versus Maryland-Eastern Shore and followed that with a 26-point effort versus Southern Cal.
- Prior to his injury, scored 28 versus Elon, 29 versus Delaware and 22 versus LaSalle (the game he was injured).
- Made five 3’s in the Southern Cal and Elon games … Added eight rebounds versus Elon.
2020-21 (Sophomore at Temple):
- Third Team All-American Athletic Conference.
- Second Team All-Philadelphia Big 5.
- Led team in scoring (15.0 ppg) while ranking second on the team in rebounding (6.4 rpg).
- Played in 11 games with four starts … Missed the first five games due to a hamstring injury.
- Had three double-doubles including 22 points and 11 rebounds versus Tulsa (1/26), 32 and 10 versus South Florida (2/21) and 18 and 10 versus South Florida in the AAC Tournament.
- Joined starting lineup for the last four games, starting at Tulsa … Led the team in scoring and assists in all four of his starts and rebounding in three of the four.
- In his first start at Tulsa, led the team in points (21), rebounds (7) and minutes (35)
- Scored a career-high 32 points versus South Florida (2/21) and grabbed 10 rebounds for his second double-double…Also dished a career-high five assists.
- Overall, played in 11 games, averaging 31.4 mpg (2nd on the team) …Had first collegiate double-double, scoring 22 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in a win over Tulsa (1/26) … Also had a double-double, 18 points and 10 rebounds, in season-ending loss to USF in AAC Tournament … Scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds in 32 minutes (2nd most on the team) in loss to #8 Houston … Scored in double figures eight times.
2019-20 (Freshman at Butler):
- Helped the Bulldogs to a 22-9 record before the season was canceled during the Big East Tournament .. Played in 24 games, averaging 3.0 points, 1.0 rebounds and 10.9 minutes.
- Posted double-figures in two games with a season-high of 11 points coming in the season-opening win over IUPUI … Scored 10 points in the win over Southern, adding a season-high four rebounds.
- His four assists at Creighton (2/23) were a season-high.
High School:
Ranked as the 82nd-best prospect in the 2019 class by ESPN, as well No. 120 by Rivals and No. 126 by 247sports (all three rated him as a four-star recruit) … Averaged 23.7 points per game as a senior at Trenton Catholic … Was the 2018-19 Times of Trenton Boys Basketball Player of the Year and the Trentonian’s Area Player of the Year … Scored at least 30 points eight times during his senior season … Participated in the 2019 American Family Insurance High School Slam Dunk Contest as part of Final Four Weekend … Scored more than 1,000 points in high school despite missing his sophomore season due to injury … Team won the Burlington County Scholastic League-Liberty Division title and the 2019 Mercer County Tournament crown … Named to the NJHoops.com All-Mercer County Team … As a junior, averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists … Attended St. Joseph’s High School as a sophomore alongside his brother, Tyus … Played on the 2017 summer circuit with New Jersey Playaz, and averaged 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists in Nike EYBL play.
