Ref receives death threats from Kentucky fans

NCAA referee John Higgins received death threats from Kentucky fans after the Wildcats lost to Carolina.

After Kentucky lost the Elite Eight game against North Carolina, Wildcats’ fans flooded social media about questionable foul calls made by one particular referee and some reportedly made death threats.NCAA referee John Higgins met with law enforcement for more than two hours Tuesday after Kentucky fans sent death threats, repeatedly called his company’s office and home and posted a barrage of false messages about his business on the company’s Facebook page, sources told ESPN.North Carolina beat Kentucky 75-73 on Luke Maye’s buzzer-beating jumper, while the Wildcats were whistled for 19 fouls, including two each on Malik Monk, De’Aaron Fox and Bam Adebayo in the first half.Kentucky coach John Calipari wasn’t pleased about the number of fouls being called against his team in Sunday’s NCAA Tournament game.”You know, it’s amazing that we were in that game where they practically fouled out my team,” Calipari told reporters after the game. “Amazing that we had a chance.”Kentucky fans took their anger to message boards and attacked Higgins, who owns John Higgins Weatherguard, Inc., which is a roofing company based out of Omaha,Some fans trashed the review section of Higgins’ company Facebook page, writing false and damaging messages.According to ESPN, the phones at Higgins’ home and business have been “ringing off the hook” since the game, with angry Kentucky fans calling to complain and some even making death threats.Higgins will work as an official at the Final Four in Glendale, Ariz., according to ESPN.