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Faulkner scores 27 as Sky beat Sparks 90-83

By WTOP Staff

CURTIS ZUPKE
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jamierra Faulkner knew she would need to take on more responsibility for the Chicago Sky after Courtney Vandersloot went down with a knee injury.

Faulkner proved she was ready Tuesday night, scoring a season-high 27 points to lead the Sky in a 90-83 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks. Epiphanny Prince had 15 points, all in the second half, for Chicago (8-8).

Faulkner scored 17 points in the second half, including a jumper at the top of the key with 53 seconds remaining to give the Sky a 80-75 lead. The Sparks missed their next two shots, and Prince made five free throws in the final 36 seconds as Chicago ended a six-game losing streak in Los Angeles.

It was a clutch performance by Faulkner, a rookie who was nervous for her first career start after the Sky announced Monday that Vandersloot, the WNBA’s assist leader, is out six to 10 weeks with a sprained knee.

“I’m taking on a big role,” Faulkner said. “It’s a big change because of the different things that I have to learn. Courtney Vandersloot has been helping me a lot. She’s been talking to me every timeout and in practice, so I have the support that I need.”

Chicago was also without leading scorer Elena Delle Donne (Lyme disease) but the Sky outrebounded the Sparks 39-24 and outscored them in the paint 44-32. Chicago coach Pokey Chatman said she had to settle Faulkner down before the game and liked her poise.

“It was huge,” Chatman said. “I said, ‘I don’t need you to be Vandersloot tonight. You need to be Jay.’ … She had some costly turnovers but she never just hung her head. I think every time she had a critical error, she shook it off and got right back into it. Hats off to her.”

Nneka Ogwumike had 26 points and six rebounds to lead the Sparks (6-9), and Candace Parker had 22 points. Both pointed to Chicago’s 14 second-chance points as the difference, and Parker said she was concerned with their defensive identity.

“We’re almost halfway through the season, and we’re still having the same problems,” Parker said. “We’ll figure it out and at some point we’ve got to sit down and figure out what the problem is because we can’t keep saying we’re going to figure it out.”

Prince and Faulkner made back-to-back 3-pointers out of a timeout to give Chicago a 76-70 lead and the Sparks got no closer than three points down the rest of the way.

Chicago took a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter after it outscored Los Angeles 23-13 in the third, the Sparks’ lowest-scoring third quarter this season. Los Angeles guard Kristi Toliver played her second game since she rejoined the team from a stint with the Slovakian national team but went 2 for10 from the field.

The Sparks had won three of their previous four games to gain traction but Ogwumike didn’t want her team to take the loss as a step back.

“It should feel like one, but we shouldn’t treat it like one,” Ogwumike said. “It’s definitely one that we need to reflect upon because this should not have happened. But it happened and we have to gear up.”

Ogwumike had 16 points and Parker 13 in the first half to help give the Sparks a 44-41 lead at halftime.

Chicago’s only other win here came on July 1, 2007.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul attended the game.

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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