Memphis basketball's Jamirah Shutes pleads not guilty to assault charge after punch in handshake line | Report

Jason Munz, Memphis Commercial Appeal
·2 min read
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Jamirah Shutes, the Memphis women's basketball player who was charged with assault last week after punching Bowling Green's Elissa Brett in the postgame handshake line, has pled not guilty.

TMZ Sports reported Shutes' attorney Steven Crossmock appeared in court Wednesday in Ohio on her behalf. Shutes is tentatively due back in court in April for another hearing.

Following the Tigers' 73-60 loss at Bowling Green in the third round of the WNIT, Shutes stopped and exchanged words with 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.

The incident was captured on camera and the clip went viral shortly after it happened. That video has more than 2.5 million views on Twitter as of Wednesday afternoon. The day after the altercation, Bowling Green issued a statement indicating Shutes had been charged with assault.

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."

JAMIRAH SHUTES: Memphis basketball's Jamirah Shutes charged with assault after punch in WNIT handshake line

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Memphis' athletics department issued a statement last week saying it was cooperating fully with Bowling Green police while declining further comment until the investigation was complete.

Shutes, a senior guard from Brownsville, and Brett 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.

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Jamirah Shutes punch: Memphis player pleads not guilty to assault