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Johnson, Sims lead Shock past Storm, 80-74

By WTOP Staff

LYNNE JACOBSEN
Associated Press

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Glory Johnson suddenly finds herself in elite company.

The second-year forward out of Tennessee had 15 points and 13 rebounds for her 15th double-double of the season to help the Tulsa Shock beat the Seattle Storm 80-74 Tuesday night.

“I guess I have to start calling her Ms. Double-Double,” Shock coach Fred Williams said. “She’s a cross between Dennis Rodman and Charles Barkley.”

Johnson, who had 11 defensive rebounds, blushed when told of the comparison to the NBA Hall of Famers by her head coach.

“Was it the color of the hair?” Johnson quipped, referring to Rodman’s wild hair fashions.

“We’re feeling it out there,” she added. “We struggled in the first half but out in the second half with a little more energy. … Offensively I thought it was a pretty good game for me. Courtney (Paris) and I talked about crashing the boards a little more tonight. That was our goal.”

The victory preserved the Shock’s playoff hopes. Tulsa began the night three games behind San Antonio and Los Angeles for one of the last two playoff spots in the Western Conference. The Stars beat the Sky and the Sparks played at first-place Phoenix later.

“We talk about taking it one game at a time,” Williams said. “We want to be in some type of playoff situation towards the end of the year and that’s where we are right now. We just have to keep plugging along, getting better as a team and making everyone individually better.”

Johnson said the Shock (10-17) are simply taking the final games of the regular season one at a time.

“It feels great to get two in a row,” she said. “We have to keep winning to have a shot at the playoffs. We’ll think about the playoffs when the time comes.”

Odyssey Sims led the Shock with 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the field and Roneeka Hodges added a season-high 16.

Skylar Diggins had 11 points to become the Shock’s single-season scoring leader with 564 points, passing Deanna Nolan who set the previous mark of 559 in 2009 when the franchise was still in Detroit.

“I’m from the Midwest and grew up a huge Deanna Nolan fan,” Diggins said. “I had no idea I was close to any record. It’s nice. It’s not something I focus on though.”

Diggins entered the game needing seven points to pass Nolan, but struggled to get any offense going in the first half as she was 1 for 5 from the field with four points. Diggins made a 3-pointer to open the second half to break Nolan’s mark.

“I couldn’t do it without my teammates,” Diggins said. “We’re all trying to excel and get better. This is just a part of it. We’re just getting started. I have many teammates and coaches to thank.”

Sue Bird scored 15 points and Tanisha Wright added 14 for Seattle (9-19). Camille Little and Crystal Langhorne had 13 points apiece.

Seattle led early but never seemed able to pull away with a comfortable lead. The Storm took a 36-35 advantage into intermission but Tulsa pushed the tempo in the second half and capitalized with a 27-point third quarter.

Tulsa opened the fourth period with a 64-59 cushion and led by as many as eight down the stretch.

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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