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Charles has 28 points in Liberty’s win over Shock

By WTOP Staff

DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Tina Charles got the Liberty going and then Cappie Pondexter took over to help the team to its first winning streak of the season.

Charles scored a season-high 28 points and Pondexter added 21 to help New York beat the Tulsa Shock 90-74 on Tuesday night.

Charles, who also had 14 rebounds, had 20 points in the first half before Pondexter scored 13 after the break for New York (6-11).

“Tina Charles set the tone early in the game and did what she was supposed to do, score buckets for us,” Liberty coach Bill Laimbeer said. “She was very engaged.”

Tulsa (6-10) trailed by 11 points at the half before Skylar Diggins rallied the Shock to 62-58 with 36.5 seconds in the third quarter. The Liberty then scored the next 10 points to put the game away. Pondexter had an acrobatic three-point play where she flipped the ball over her head and was fouled.

“I didn’t even think it was going to go in,” Pondexter said, smiling. “It was great we answered their run and took control of the game.”

On the next possession Sugar Rodgers followed with her own three-point play that made it 72-58. Tulsa could only get within 11 the rest of the way.

Diggins finished with 23 points, including 20 in the second half.

“I was trying to be more aggressive and get different looks,” Diggins said of her second-half play. “That was our problem. We weren’t aggressive until the third quarter. Got more finishes, more fast-break points. That’s when we’re playing our best basketball.”

New York has won three of its last four games and will finish off a five-game homestand on Sunday against defending champion Minnesota.

This was Tulsa’s third game in four nights. The Shock lost to both Los Angeles and Phoenix in overtime over the weekend.

Diggins refused to use that as an excuse.

“You have to credit New York,” she said. “We were well prepared for this game.”

Six of the 10 Shock losses this season have been by four points or fewer. Over the past 1 1/2 seasons, Tulsa has lost 15 of its 32 games in overtime or by four points or fewer. That’s the most in WNBA history over a two-year span according to STATS.

The Shock got off to a slow start missing their first nine shots and trailed 9-1 before Odyssey Sims hit a tough shot on the baseline. Charles had seven of the Liberty’s first nine points.

She was just getting started.

New York led 30-29 before going on a 16-6 run to close the half. Charles got it started with a three-point play and had five points during the burst. Anna Cruz had seven points during that spurt as New York led 46-35 at the half, shooting 56 percent from the field. Cruz finished the game with 17 points.

Diggins, who came into the game second in the league in scoring at 20.7 points, rallied the Shock in the third quarter scoring 16 points. She had an array of baskets some of which drew cheers from Cleveland Cavaliers star guard Kyrie Irving, who was at the game. He wasn’t the only NBA player in the crowd. New York Knicks players Iman Shumpert, Tim Hardaway Jr., Cleanthony Early and Shane Larkin were also at the game.

The Liberty haven’t lost at home to Tulsa since 2008 when the franchise was in Detroit.

___

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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