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Moore, Whalen lead Lynx to 91-85 win over Shock

By WTOP Staff

DUANE DaPRON
Associated Press

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Tulsa is quickly becoming a home away from home for the Minnesota Lynx.

Maya Moore scored 33 points and Lindsay Whalen fell a rebound short of a triple double to help the Lynx hold off the Tulsa Shock for a 91-85 victory Thursday night.

The victory was the ninth straight road win for Minnesota (15-6) in Tulsa. The Shock’s last home win against the Lynx was a 92-79 victory on June 4, 2010.

Moore started with 15 points in the first quarter and finished with 10 points in the fourth, including eight unanswered points to help the Lynx withstand a late rally by Tulsa (7-13).

Moore shot 12 of 21 from the floor and was 8 for 8 at the free throw line. She added 11 rebounds.

Whalen finished with 21 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, scoring 14 of her points in the second half to help the Lynx claim their fourth win in the last five games.

“She is the epitome of what we want our team to be,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said of Whalen. “She has a great understanding of the game and her play-calling is tremendous.”

After trailing by as many as eight points early in the second half, Tulsa tied the game for the last time at 71-all in the opening minute of the fourth quarter on a free throw by Courtney Paris.

Minnesota then went on a run to open a seven-point lead. Tulsa closed again, getting within two down the stretch before Moore scored eight of her team’s final 12 points to keep the Shock at bay. Whalen contributed seven points during the final period, including three late free throws.

Skylar Diggins had 21 points and a career-high 12 assists for Tulsa, which lost its fifth straight game at home and third in its current four-game homestand. The Shock have dropped their five home games by a combined 16 points. Their last home victory was an 85-79 win June 15 against Seattle.

Glory Johnson added 17 points and 12 rebounds for Tulsa, and Odyssey Sims had 17 points and Courtney Paris 13.

During her big first quarter, Moore hit 4 of 6 shots from the floor and all six of her free throws to help Minnesota to an eight-point lead. Diggins countered with nine points and the Shock trailed just 26-24 after one quarter.

Sims’ 3-pointer with 8:41 to play in the second quarter gave the Shock their only lead of the game, 29-28.

Moore opened the second half with a pair of baskets as the Lynx led by eight points, matching their largest margin of the night. Tulsa rallied again, getting back-to-back 3s from Roneeka Hodges that triggered a 14-6 run and knotted the game at 65 at 4:48 of the third quarter.

“We’re getting there,” Tulsa head coach Fred Williams said. “We just have to keep tough. Everybody seems to be knocking each other off so we still have a chance at a playoff spot.”

Moore had her fourth game this season of 30 or more points. Entering Thursday night, she had the three highest single-game scoring performances of the season.

The teams meet again Wednesday in Minnesota.

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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