Women’s College Basketball Player Charged With Assault After Punching Opponent in Handshake Line

A University of Memphis women’s basketball player, Jamirah Shutes, was charged with assault after punching Bowling Green’s Elissa Brett.

After Bowling Green defeated Memphis 73-60 in the NCAA Women’s NIT Tournament on Thursday night, both teams began to shake hands when Shutes stopped Brett in the line. She punched Brett in the face sending her to the hardwood floor.

Both teams intervened, and no further incidents occurred. The game took place at Bowling Green’s home arena, the Stroh Center, in Ohio. The school later announced police would look into the altercation and Bowling Green State University Police Department officially charged Shutes with assault.

“The incident that took place following tonight’s home WNIT game has been turned over to the BGSU Police Department,” the school said in a statement. “Bowling Green State University Athletics does not make comments about active police investigations. Our priority is with the health, safety and support of our student-athletes.”

The University of Memphis released its own statement. It reads:

The incident that occurred following Thursday’s women’s basketball game was extremely unfortunate and certainly not consistent with, or representative of, our expectations for our programs and student-athletes.

Because the incident occurred after the game, jurisdiction falls in the hands of local authorities, and we are cooperating fully with their process. To be respectful of that process, we will not comment further until it is complete.

On Friday afternoon, Bowling Green’s Athletic Department released a statement to announce they will pursue charges but did not mention Shutes by name in the release:

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.

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.

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