Next time you watch a game, keep an eye on the sidelines. Watch the coaches jaw with the referees, calling them over and talking to them about a call or non-call. In the coaching biz, it’s called “working the officials,” and the Big Ten has some coaches who are masters at it.

Yes, the object in basketball is score. You need athletes, shooters, passers and rebounders. But good teams also possess toughness.

Take a look around the Big Ten, and you’ll see many of them: freshmen playing big roles for teams. In fact, it has become common for freshmen to come in and not just contribute but grab the starring role.

The Big Ten is loaded with great point guards. In fact, no conference may have a better collection. There’s Michigan’s Trey Burke, Minnesota’s Andre Hollins, Ohio State’s Aaron Craft, Indiana’s Yogi Ferrell and Michigan State’s Keith Appling, among others. The collection would be even better if Penn State’s Tim Frazier and Wisconsin’s Josh Gasser weren’t out for the season with injury.