Seven People Who Made Threats Against Ref in UK/North Carolina Game Identified

Kentucky's narrow 75-73 loss to North Carolina in the 2017 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight generated a firestorm of criticism for one of the game's referees, John Higgins.

An Omaha, Nebraska resident, Higgins owns a roofing company and was subjected to a variety of threats stemming from UK fans' beliefs that his officiating had a huge, maybe even decisive, impact on the game's outcome.

After the finish of close games in just about any sport, fingers begin pointing toward officials pretty quickly.

But the situation that unfolded after the UK/UNC game went to another level.

A pretty ugly level, actually.

ESPN is now reporting that seven of those who made threats against Higgins have been identified (their names were not used in the report) and that their information will be referred to the authorities in their corresponding jurisdictions.

That information will also be forward to the FBI's Omaha field office.

Threats against Higgins, which ultimately led to him taking down his business' Facebook page, ranged from harassing emails to actual death threats.