The postgame handshake line is common after a lot of sporting events.
It is a measure of respect and sportsmanship from athletes toward their opponents. Often times, these postgame activities take place without any trouble. However, that was not the case following a women’s college basketball playoff game, and as a result, a player is now facing criminal charges.
The Associated Press is reporting that Bowling Green State University campus police in Bowling Green, OH, have charged University of Memphis women’s basketball player Jamirah Shutes with assault after the incident took place last night. According to the sports website Outkick, the campus police began to investigate Shutes after she allegedly punched an opposing player from Bowling Green, identified as Elissa Brett, following the teams’ playoff game in the women’s National Invitational Tournament at Bowling Green’s campus, won by the host Falcons. As seen in this below tweet, and also reported by Outkick, words were reportedly exchanged between players from both teams, which ended with the alleged punch being thrown by Shutes.
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
It is not clear what led up to the altercation. Memphis players were quickly escorted out of the arena after the incident and Brett was attended to by trainers on the sideline, but appeared fine.
The incident was the second time this week in which there was a dustup of some kind in a women’s basketball playoff handshake line. On Tuesday, following the NCAA women’s Division I tournament game between the University of Louisville and the University of Texas, a Longhorns player and Louisville star Hailey Van Lith reportedly exchanged words in that handshake line. No punches were thrown in that incident.
Shutes is a fifth-year senior with the Tigers, so last night’s game was likely her last with that program. It is not known what punishment the player could face as a result of the criminal charge.
