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Parker and Ogwumike lead Sparks over Liberty 68-54

By WTOP Staff

DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The Los Angeles Sparks have struggled to close out games this season.

Candace Parker and her Sparks teammates didn’t have to worry about a late-game collapse Friday night, when a strong fourth quarter led to a 68-54 victory over the New York Liberty.

“It was nice to come away with a win,” said Parker, who had 14 points. “We let them back in the game late in the third, but played great defense in the fourth.”

Los Angeles held a 10-point lead midway through the third quarter before New York rallied to within two points. The Sparks then scored the final four points of the third quarter and held the Liberty to just four points in the fourth.

“I thought we were really good defensively for the most part,” Sparks coach Carol Ross said. “I thought our defense carried us when we were struggling to score.”

The Sparks (8-11) have lost five games when they held the lead in the final minutes. There was no such problem Friday night.

Nneka Ogwumike scored 15 points to lead the Sparks, who are in the midst of a four-game road trip. They will play Connecticut on Sunday in a game that features a matchup between Nneka and her sister Chiney, who attended Friday night’s game.

Tina Charles scored 20 points for New York (7-13), which has dropped two straight games after a successful homestand during which the Liberty won four of five.

“You’re not going to beat any team in this league scoring 54 points,” Charles said.

Cappie Pondexter was held scoreless for the second time this season. She played only 18 minutes and missed all five of her shots. Coach Bill Laimbeer said after the game that Pondexter was injured in the loss to San Antonio on Wednesday.

“We didn’t have the firepower offensive wise. Cappie wasn’t able to go,” he said. “Our offensive execution was poor and it showed in the stat sheet.”

Pondexter said she was frustrated after the game, but didn’t want to talk about her injury.

“Didn’t have it tonight,” she said. “It’s frustrating, not for myself, but for my team. They need my presence. Wasn’t able to get it done.”

The game was tied at 29 midway through the second quarter when Los Angeles closed the half with a 13-4 run. Ogwumike got the spurt started with a steal and layup. Alana Beard had five points during the burst.

They extended the lead to 48-38 in the third quarter before New York rallied behind Charles. She scored eight points during a 12-4 run that brought the Liberty within 52-50 with 1:48 left in the period. That’s as close as they got.

Los Angeles scored the final four points of the quarter and then held New York to just two points in the first 7 minutes of the fourth, outscoring the Liberty 12-2 to put the game away.

The game marked the Liberty debut for Swin Cash, who was acquired on Wednesday for Delisha Milton-Jones. The move reunited Cash with Laimbeer, who coached her for six years for in Detroit.

Cash entered the game for the first time late in the first quarter. She scored her first basket in the second quarter and finished the game with four points in 13 minutes.

___

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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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