A student filed a report with the Massachusetts Police Department yesterday, alleging she was assaulted by UMass basketball player Monty Mack yesterday afternoon.

Police are investigating an assault and battery that took place at Hampshire Dining Hall in the Southwest Residential Area at approximately 2:30 p.m. yesterday, a source within the UMass PD said.

UMass junior guard Monty Mack

"At this point [Mack] is the suspect...[but] no charges have been filed," the source said.

The victim said she plans to file charges against Mack today.

According to the victim, a UMass sophomore political science major who asked that her name be withheld, the incident began in the dining hall when a fight broke out between two females and then escalated as others joined in.

The victim said in a statement she gave to police that she got involved in the fight because, "I'm not going to watch my friends get jumped."

The victim alleged that when they were inside of the dining hall Mack, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound junior guard for the men's basketball team, punched her right ear once and threw her against a tray rack.

"He punched me in the ear and pushed me," the victim said yesterday in a phone interview. "I yelled, 'Get off me, get off me.'"

Outside of the dining hall, she alleged that Mack punched her again, pulled her hair, then threw her to the ground.

"He hit me again on the same side, then somebody pulled him off of me. He pulled me by the hair and knocked me to the ground," the victim said. "I didn't fight back. I'm 5-foot-4 1/2. He's bigger than me.

"I have scrapes all over my arm, cuts on my hand, bruises on my thigh and my ear is all bloody. I had on a thick hoop earring, close to the ear lobe, and it came off," she said.

A witness to the incident gave a similar account of the event, adding that Mack took the time to take off his shirt before getting involved in the fight outside of the dining hall.

"You hit me, Monty," the victim told police in the report.

The victim's statement to police quoted Mack as replying, "I know I hit you and I'm going to do it again."

While there were reportedly close to 100 bystanders, including members of the men's basketball team according to one witness, another witnesses' report to police said that only one person, basketball player Kitwana Rhymer, made any kind of effort to stop Mack.

The victim said she wanted to file a restraining order against Mack, but was told by police that because the incident was not a domestic dispute it was not possible to obtain a restraining order.

The victim's judicial advisor said that, in addition to the victim's statement, at least two other people gave witness statements to UMass police yesterday. She said that another two people were planning to make statements as well.

University of Massachusetts basketball player Monty Mack has not been arrested in relation to an assault reported Sunday afternoon, but the woman who alleged the assault is filing a show-cause hearing.

UMass Chief of Police John Luippold said yesterday that police are investigating the incident in which a female student alleged that Mack punched her repeatedly and threw her to the ground at Hampshire Dining Hall.

The victim confirmed that she is pursuing a show-cause hearing against Mack and has retained a lawyer, Michael Edelstein, a civil attorney in Northampton.

According to the Massachusetts Journalists' Court and Legal Handbook, a show-cause hearing is informal and held in front of a clerk magistrate, not a judge, who judges from experience whether a complaint is justified.

At the hearing, the person to be accused can tell the clerk why a complaint should not be issued, according to the handbook.

Luippold said a show-cause hearing date will be set by the district court clerk "in the next week or so" and that the hearing is likely to be in two to three weeks.

He also said there is not a warrant out for Mack's arrest because it was "not an arrestable offense."

"Assault and battery is a misdemeanor," Luippold said. "It requires specific elements that the officer must have in order for an arrest to occur."

"In regards to an alleged assault and battery, an officer needs to be a witness to the crime occurring in order for an arrest to be considered" he explained. "Otherwise, a show-cause request would be made with the court."

Luippold said that police were notified after the incident occurred in the Southwest Residential Area, but did not witness it.

"In the cases of a past assault and battery being reported, an investigation is completed and, when warranted, a request for show-cause hearing in Northampton District Court is completed," Luippold said.

When approached for comment at the men's basketball practice last night, Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations Mike Hardisky refused to elaborate on the incident.

"Neither [coach] Bruiser nor Monty [Mack] are going to comment right now," Hardisky said.

"We're looking into the matter," he said. "Once we find out what has happened, we'll comment."

At yesterday's practice, Mack, who will not play in Thursday night's exhibition game against the Converse All-Stars due to a hand injury, was not in uniform.

Luippold said the police are continuing to take statements from witnesses and individuals involved in the incident. He encouraged witnesses or anyone with information to contact the Detective Bureau at 545-0893.

AMHERST - Monty Mack's status with the University of Massachusetts men's basketball team remains unchanged, but also uncertain.

The junior guard was named in assault allegations regarding a Sunday incident at a dining hall in the campus' Southwest Residential section, and coach Bruiser Flint said no action has been taken as UMass coaches and campus officials investigate what happened.

"We're just checking into it, because there are just some conflicting stories," Flint said yesterday. "We're trying to get to the bottom of it, though."

Flint talked with Mack Monday, a day after a woman accused Mack of assaulting her during a fight that allegedly began between two women, then escalated to involve others.

UMass opens its preseason schedule tomorrow night against the Converse All-Stars, a team of ex-collegians, at the Mullins Center. Flint said that pending the investigation, no decision has been made about Mack's status for that game.

The 6-foot-3 shooting guard's availability tomorrow was in doubt, anyway, because of a minor hand injury that was unrelated to the fight.

Regarding Sunday's incident, the UMass news office said yesterday that Mack has been instructed not to comment. Flint said he wasn't aware of the alleged incident until reading Monday's campus newspaper, The Daily Collegian, which reported the fight.

"Everybody was sort of shocked," Flint said.

The case represents the most serious disciplinary issue of Flint's coaching career, which is entering its third year. Kay Scanlan, director of the UMass news office, said part of the problem in gathering information is that so many conflicting stories are developing about what happened.

"With 100 bystanders, as there were supposed to have been, it's going to take time to find out what happened," Scanlan said.

The investigation involves campus police and other UMass officials and not just the basketball coaches.

Scanlan said that as of yesterday, the alleged victim (a sophomore whose name has been withheld) had not filed charges, although she did file a report with campus police soon after the incident, naming Mack.

According to the victim's statement to police, the incident took place at Hampshire Dining Hall. She alleged that Mack punched her in the right ear and threw her against a tray rack. She also claimed he pulled her hair before he was pulled away.

She also said the incident left her with scrapes, cuts and bruises. One report of the incident to campus police said that another basketball player, sophomore Kitwana Rhymer, tried to stop Mack.

Mack has never had a brush with controversy before. The South Boston High School graduate, who came to UMass during Flint's first year in 1996, sat out for academic rules as a freshman. But if he graduates on time, he can earn back his fourth year of eligibility as a post-graduate.

Considered the best outside shooter on the team, he averaged 13.8 points per game as a first-year player and started all 32 games last season. Flint has said he's capable of becoming a star player in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

AMHERST - A University of Massachusetts student's allegation that a member of the men's basketball team assaulted her during a fracas Sunday afternoon is under investigation.

At this point no charges have been filed against junior guard Monty Mack, the player the woman named to police, according to Kay Scanlon of the UMass News Office.

"Chief (John) Luippold said they're trying to gather information from lots of people," Scanlon said. "There've been conflicting stories about what happened.

According to a report in Monday's UMass Daily Collegian, based on an interview with the unnamed victim, she and others got involved in a fight that initially broke out between two women Sunday afternoon in Hampshire Dining Hall in the Southwest Residential Complex.

During the fight, she told the Collegian, Mack "punched her right ear once and threw her against a tray rack" and punched her again outside the dining hall.

Scanlon said she knew no more details than what the Collegian report. However, she added, "The university takes these incidents very seriously."

It was uncertain whether Mack would play in Thursday's preseason basketball game against the Converse All-Stars, but the uncertainty is due to a hand injury Mack sustained last week that required 13 stitches, Scanlon said.

AMHERST, Mass. (AP) -- Massachusetts basketball player Monty Mack is accused of punching and shoving a woman student in dining hall fight.

The woman filed a complaint and told police that Mack and others joined in a fight Sunday between two women, school spokeswoman Kay Scanlan said.

The victim, whose name was not released, said Mack punched her in the ear and threw her against a tray rack. She suffered scrapes, cuts and bruises.

Scanlan said she did not know what prompted Mack's action or what sparked the dispute. But she said campus police had gathered some information and provided it to the Northampton District Court.

A court hearing was set for Nov. 20, she said. At that time, a clerk magistrate will consider whether to file formal accusations. Unless such a decision is reached, the court case would remain sealed.

Coach Bruiser Flint said he talked with Mack a day after the incident. He said a decision will be made on Mack's status with the team after the investigation is complete.

Mack averaged 13.8 points a game as a starter last season. The 6-foot-3 junior guard sat out his freshmen year for academic reasons.

The Minutemen open preseason play Thursday against the Converse All-Stars. However, Mack had been a doubtful starter because of a cut on his left hand that required 13 stitches. He was injured last week falling on a piece of glass in a separate incident unrelated to a fight, Scanlan said.

University of Massachusetts junior guard Monty Mack was named in an assault and battery complaint filed in Northampton District Court yesterday by a UMass student who said the Boston resident attacked her during a dining hall fracas Sunday afternoon.

Mack, a starting guard who finished second in scoring for the Minutemen last season, has not been formally charged. Kay Scanlan, director of the school's news office, said UMass police have spent the last couple of days gathering facts about the incident, which began inside Hampshire Dining Hall in the Southwest Residential Area around 2:30 p.m., then spilled over outside.

The alleged victim told police that Mack and others joined in a fight that started Sunday between two women, Scanlan said. The victim, whose name was not released, said Mack punched her in the ear and threw her against a tray rack. She suffered scrapes, cuts, and bruises.

''What I know right now is that conflicting reports have been made of both incidents [inside and outside the dining hall],'' said Scanlan, who added that UMass police investigated the matter the last two days and yesterday took their findings to Northampton District Court.

Scanlan said a show cause hearing has been set for Nov. 20 at 1 p.m. At that time, a clerk magistrate will consider whether to file formal accusations. Unless such a decision is reached, the court case would remain sealed. ''They have followed the usual procedure to a complaint of a possible assault and battery that police didn't witness,'' said Scanlan.

Asked about the incident yesterday, coach Bruiser Flint said, ''The only thing I can say is we're trying to get to the bottom of it. That's pretty much it. Then the appropriate action will be taken.''

Flint said Mack will not play in the team's exhibition game tonight against the Converse All-Stars. Even before the incident, his participation was questionable because of a left hand injury that required 13 stitches last week when Mack fell on a piece of glass in an unrelated incident.

Asked if Mack would not play because of the injury or the incident, Flint said, ''Let me put it this way. I'm not going to play him, but he is hurt.''

Flint added that he has spoken with Mack about the incident but declined to discuss the conversation.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

AMHERST - A show-cause hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 20 on a University of Massachusetts student's allegation that she was assaulted Saturday by varsity basketball player Monty Mack.

"Police gathered information (from witnesses) for the alleged victim, and it was presented to the court today," Kay Scanlan of the UMass news office said Wednesday afternoon.

UMass police will make none of the information gleaned from their investigation public at this point. "It's in the court's hands now," Scanlan said.

No charges have been filed against anyone in connection with the fracas that reportedly took place Sunday afternoon involving several people.

The woman told the Daily Collegian that Mack punched her twice.

At show-cause hearings in the Northampton District Court, a clerk-magistrate interviews witnesses to determine whether there is enough evidence to bring a criminal charge against someone.

Such hearings are not open to the public, and no information is given out until after the determination.

At this point the UMass athletic department has not taken any action in the case.

"Not until we find out what happened," said Michael Hardisky, assistant athletic director for media relations. "Coach (Bruiser Flint) talked with Mack on Monday after we found out about the incident. I don't know what he said."

Because of an unrelated hand injury Mack incurred last week, his playing status for tonight's pre-season game remained uncertain late Wednesday, Hardisky said.

Monty Mack watched from the bench Thursday. Jerrey Roberts, Daily Hampshire Gazette, photo

AMHERST - With his hand still ailing, University of Massachusetts junior guard Monty Mack sat out of the Minuteman lineup Thursday, which kept coach Bruiser Flint from having to make a decision about his status.

Mack has been accused by a woman of assaulting her at a UMass dining hall, an allegation Flint said he is looking into before deciding whether any action will be taken.

"It's a lot of conflicting stories. Until we come to the bottom of it, there's nothing really we can do," Flint said.

Flint vouched for the character of his player.

"Monty hasn't gotten into any trouble up here. He's been a good kid. From what I hear, he was breaking up the fight when he got involved. We have to get all the information and, to be honest, I don't have it and I don't think anybody has it.

"He's been working hard in school," Flint continued. "I just don't want him to get affected by all the things (going on). If we go to the (show-cause hearing) on the 20th (November) and everything is fine, a lot of the damage has been done already. He's been on the front page of the paper. It's tough for a kid to walk around like that. You're a target. People jab you. I hope he learned a lesson, but that's a tough lesson to learn."

Flint declined comment on whether the result of the show-cause hearing would have an impact on how he handles the situation.

* * *

The Associated Press Top 25 was released Thursday and the Minutemen were ranked No. 24. Four Atlantic 10 teams made the list, including Temple (No. 7), Xavier (17) and Rhode Island (23). Duke was the top-ranked team.

* * *

The Atlantic 10 preseason coaches and media poll also was released at Thursday's media day. Temple and Xavier are predicted to win the East and West Divisions respectively, while Xavier forward James Posey was picked as the preseason "most outstanding player".

The Minutemen were picked second behind Temple in the East, followed by Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure, St. Joseph's and Fordham. After Xavier in the West was George Washington, Dayton, LaSalle, Virginia Tech and Duquesne.

Posey was joined by Minuteman Lari Ketner on the Atlantic 10 Preseason First All-Conference Team, along with Xavier's Lenny Brown, GW's Shawnta Rogers and Temple's Lamont Barnes.

The second team was Donnie Carr (LaSalle), Gary Lumpkin (Xavier), Yegor Mescheriakov (GW), Antonio Reynolds-Dean (URI) and Pepe Sanchez (Temple), while the third team consisted of Charlton Clarke, Mike King (GW), Bevon Robin (Fordham), Rolan Roberts (Virginia Tech), and Tony Stanley (Dayton).

Temple rookies Mark Karchner and Kevin Lyde led an all-rookie team that also featured Xavier's Lloyd Price, URI's Lamar Odom and Duquesne's Wayne Smith.

Two Minutemen, Ketner and Mike Babul, were named to the All-Defensive Team, along with Barnes and Sanchez, Rogers and St. Bonaventure's Caswell Cyrus.

* * *

For the second consecutive season Flint is the top three-point shooter among Atlantic 10 coaches. Each participating coach got 35 seconds to score as many three-pointers as possible. Flint nailed seven to earn $5,000 for his charity, the American Diabetes Foundation. "I was on fire," Flint said with a laugh.