Suspended women’s hoops duo say they were helping female friend hurt by male cheerleader

Mizzou players say they came to friend’s aid

COLUMBIA, Mo. — A pair of Missouri women’s basketball players suspended after a late-night weekend fight say they were defending a female friend from her aggressive male roommate.

Columbia police released more details Monday about the Friday morning fight that led to the arrests and suspensions of leading scorers Amanda Hanneman and Jessra Johnson.

The two players told police that an after-hours party following a bar visit turned ugly around 2 a.m. Friday when Missouri cheerleader Justin Short got into a fight with his female roommate.

Hanneman and Johnson told police that Short physically restrained his roommate before the two athletes intervened. Johnson admitted pushing Short and Hanneman admitted “slapping and punching” the cheerleader.

(This version CORRECTS when incident happened to Friday morning.)