Will Freeman felt a sense of urgency heading into his final season, so he worked to improve his conditioning. Guilford athletics photo

Will Freeman knows this season is it for him. He's a senior at Guilford College and he wants to make sure he makes the most of his final run with the Quakers.

So the senior post player spent the offseason striving make himself bigger, faster, and stronger.

Three games into the new year, he can see the difference it has made as he leads the Quakers in scoring at 15 points per game, seven points more than he put up a season ago. His rebounding average is up as well, going from 3.1 to 4.3.

"It's my last go-round and I wanted to be in great shape for this season," Freeman said. "I feel like I'm playing better because of it and I'm excited about the way things started off for me."

Part of Freeman's motivation came from the fact that he admits he wasn't in the best shape he could possibly be in during his first three seasons at Guilford.

"I worked hard to redefine my body and be a stronger player. The extra work has made me a better offensive and defensive player. I can do a lot more this year because of the shape I am in."

Freeman and the Quakers are 3-0, all three games being decided by five points or less. The game against St. Mary's (MD) was the tightest, with Guilford grinding out a 69-68 win overtime.

"All of our games have been extremely tight and competitive," Freeman said. "But we have found ways to win. Being in those types of games is going to benefit us in the long run."

The experience in close games is especially helpful to the younger players on the roster. Freeman is the only senior and has done his best to provide leadership.

"We have a young team but I'm impressed with how we've played, especially in the close games," Freeman said. "I've learned a lot as a player in my time here and I can share those experiences with the younger players."

Freeman has thrived throughout his career with the Quakers, starting his freshman season when he was named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year.

He has made his share of strides since then and wants to do all he can to help the Quakers contend for a league championship and berth in the NCAA tournament. Guilford lost in the conference tournament semifinals a year ago, falling 61-51 to Virginia Wesleyan.

"I came to Guilford to compete for a championship and I want to help us win one this year," Freeman said. "I'm motivated and I'm treating every game like it's my last one."

Trawick steps up for Eagles

Will Trawick hit two free throws with 53 seconds remaining to give Emory the lead for good in its 79-75 win over Stevenson Saturday at the Hoopsville Classic in Maryland. The Eagles improved to 4-1 overall. Emory trailed 75-74 before Trawick knocked down his clutch shots from the line.

It was a good day all the way around at the line for Emory, which went 28-of-39. Trawick scored 22 points to pace the Eagles, highlighting his effort with three 3-pointers, as he helped Emory overcome a pair of 17-point first-half deficits.

The senior forward was a second-team All-UAA selection last year and is well on his way to another big year. He has led the Eagles in scoring the last two games and is averaging 15.2 points per outing. He has knocked down seven 3-pointers on the season.

Banana Slugs start strong

UC Santa Cruz opened the 2015-16 season by winning two of its first three games. The Banana Slugs defeated Redlands (69-61) and Occidental (65-57) before falling 70-65 to Concordia-Moorhead on Saturday.

Trina Torres has played a big part in the Banana Slugs' early success, averaging 13.3 points per game in the first three games. The senior guard/forward is also grabbing 7.0 rebounds per game and was named the Great South Athletic Conference's player of the week Nov. 18. Torres is having a breakout year for Santa Cruz after averaging 3.1 points and 2.5 rebounds in the first three years of her career.

Kangaroos start year on a roll

Austin is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since the 2009-10 season after edging Hendrix 79-76 in the SAA/SCAC Challenge. The Kangaroos, who won only eight games all of last season, got a huge lift from Alan Sullivan, who poured in 14 points to lead a balanced attack.

Sullivan is one of four players on the team averaging 10 or points per game as he is putting 10 points per outing. Brian Baehl leads the way at 15.7 points per contest while Cedric Hudson is clicking for 11.7 ppg. Stephen Igbinosa is averaging 11.0 points per outing.

The Kangaroos have also played well on the defensive end of the floor, holding two of its first three opponents to under 70 points.

Panthers remain unbeaten

Birmingham Southern won its third game of the year Saturday with an 82-55 win over in-state rival Huntingdon. The Panthers are 3-0 for the first time since the 2009-10 season and handed the Hawks their first loss of the year.

The 82 points scored by Birmingham Southern is a season high for the Panthers. They have yet to give up more than 55 in a game this year.

Yorisha Bryant paved the way as she poured in 21 points. She knocked down seven of her 11 shots from the field and also grabbed eight rebounds. Bryant is having a stellar start to her senior year, averaging 18.7 points per game. She is shooting 57.6 percent from the field and pulling down 11.7 rebounds per outing as well.

Bryant has come through with a double-double in two of her first three games. She torched Emory for 25 points in a 54-44 win on Friday. Bryant pulled down 10 rebounds in the game as well as the Panthers won their home opener.