Memphis basketball's Jamirah Shutes charged with assault after punch in WNIT handshake line
Bowling Green State University police have charged Memphis women's basketball player Jamirah Shutes with assault Friday after opening an investigation into Thursday's incident following the Tigers' WNIT loss.
During the handshake line after Bowling Green won 73-60, Shutes stopped and exchanged words with Bowling Green's Elissa Brett. As Brett walked away, Shutes struck her in the head and Brett fell to the ground. Brett was on the floor for several moments before being helped up and walking off the court on her own power.
"Following Thursday’s unwarranted physical incident after the WNIT home game, the Bowling Green State University Police Department has charged a member of the Memphis Women’s Basketball team with assault," Bowling Green said in a statement. "Additionally, BGSU Athletics is conducting its own review. Violence is never acceptable and our priority remains the health, safety and support of our student-athlete, who is recovering and doing well.
"This is an active investigation in conjunction with the City of Bowling Green Prosecutor, and no further comment is available at this time."
According to the incident report filed by university police, Shutes is accused of striking "a member of the BGSU basketball team in the face with a closed fist. The BGSU basketball player did sustain some swelling in their right eye due to this strike."
The report continued that after police obtained video, witness statements and conducted interviews, it was determined that Shutes struck Brett.
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Memphis' athletics department issued a statement Friday saying it was cooperating fully with Bowling Green police while declining further comment until the investigation was complete.
Shutes, a senior guard, and Brett, also a senior guard, were involved in an earlier situation during the game with 24 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Shutes was double-teamed by Brett and teammate Sophie Dziekan. After Brett was whistled for a foul, Dziekan appeared to hit Shutes inadvertently in the face while going for the ball.
Shutes, the Tigers' leading scorer, left the game and didn't return until the start of the third quarter.
Shutes, who is from Brownsville, averaged 15.3 points per game this season and was named to the All-AAC second team after helping the Tigers to their best season since winning 25 games in 2011-12. The Tigers reached the WNIT Super 16 for the first time since 1999.
At Haywood High School, Shutes set three TSSAA state tournament records, including most points in a half (36) and single-game (46).
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Jamirah Shutes charged with assault after Memphis-Bowling Green punch
