Busting Brackets
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SEC Basketball: Each team’s best acquisition out of 2023 transfer portal

By Jerran Anderson

Nov 10, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; North Dakota State Bison forward Grant Nelson (4) shoots the ball over Kansas Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson (10) during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 10, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; North Dakota State Bison forward Grant Nelson (4) shoots the ball over Kansas Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson (10) during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports /

Khalif Battle – 6’5 Guard/Wing – Arkansas Razorbacks

Khalif Battle joins the Arkansas Razorbacks as a graduate transfer after finishing his undergrad career with the Temple Owls in the American Athletic Conference. He’ll look to bring his prowess as a volume shooter on the wing to Eric Musselman’s rotation as they typically bring on a number of transfers that mesh well together.

Last season, the athletic heroics of Ricky Council IV carried them, while Battle doesn’t bring the same athleticism, his ability to knock down shots at volume and be a fast-starter on offense should certainly give the Razorbacks fans something to be excited about.

He bounced back nicely from a season-ending injury in 2021-22 this past season as he proved to be a strong contributor off the bench for Temple. He finished with 17.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.8 apg and 1.0 spg on 35 percent shooting from behind the arc. He knocked down 2.9 3-pointers per contest in finishing seventh in the AAC with 77 3-pointers made.

Battle provided quite the spark off the bench for the Owls given his ability to create for himself in isolation and get to the free-throw line. He ranked first in the ACC in free-throw percentage (89.8 percent) this past season while making a career-high 97 free throws in 2022-23.

He’s shown off his ability to fill up the stat sheet and get to the free throw line already during a career game against South Florida back in 2021. He finished with a career-high 32 points along with 10 rebounds and five assists on 9-of-22 shooting from the field, 4-of-10 shooting from deep and 10-of-12 shooting from the free-throw line back on February 21, 2021.

He’s one prospect in the backcourt that the Razorbacks will look to make another run in the NCAA Tournament. The Razorbacks upended No. 1 Kansas as an 8-seed this past season in the second round. Battle joins Arkansas as one of seven transfers joining the roster in 2023-24.

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