Memphis Tigers’ player Jamirah Shutes has been charged with assault after appearing to punch a Bowling Green State University player in the face following their game on Thursday during the Women’s National Invitation Tournament in Ohio.
On Friday, BGSU released a statement that read, “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.”
BGSU releases updated statement regarding postgame incident with Memphis:
"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."
— Michael Burwell (@Michael_Burwell) March 24, 2023
“Additionally, BGSU Athletics is conducting its own review,” the statement added. “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,” the statement concluded.
After BGSU beat Memphis 73-60 in the third round of the tournament, the players were walking through the postgame handshake line when Falcons player Elissa Brett reportedly exchanged words with Shutes, Outkick reported.
Shutes is then is seen in the clip below reaching out and appearing to punch Brett in the face. Brett falls to the ground as one of Shutes’ teammates pulls the Tigers player away from the area and Brett’s teammates surround her, calling for help.
WATCH:
BGSU women’s basketball moving on to the final 8 of the WNIT after beating Memphis — but this will steal the headlines unfortunately.
Ugly, ugly scene in the handshake line. A Memphis player punched Elissa Brett. Just brutal. pic.twitter.com/2hptXYBEtj
— Jordan Strack (@JordanStrack) March 24, 2023
After Brett was hit, the crowd began to boo and coaches pointed in the direction of Shutes.
Bowling Green coach Robyn Fralich later said the school was in the process of “figuring all those things out,” as to what went down in the handshake line after the match, the New York Post noted.
BGSU released a statement posted on Twitter that there was a police investigation into the incident.
“The incident that took place following tonight’s home WNIT game has been turned over to the BGSU Police Department,” Bowling Green’s statement read.
“Bowling Green State University Athletics does not make comments about active police investigations,” it added. “Our priority is with the health, safety and support of our student-athletes.”
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BGSU has released a statement regarding Elissa Brett being hit by a Memphis player in the handshake line after the game: pic.twitter.com/v0zKZuhF0J
— Troy Gingerich (@troy_gingerich) March 24, 2023
Memphis later tweeted a post showing the final score and subsequently turned off the ability for social media users to comment.
The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported that Shutes reportedly took an elbow to the face within the final seconds of the opening quarter of the game, ESPN noted. She returned to start the second half.
Bowling Green will now move on to the next round of the tournament and face the Florida Gators at Stroh Center in Bowling Green on Monday March 27.