Skip to main content

Camille Little leads Storm past Dream, 88-68

By WTOP Staff

MARK MOSCHETTI
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — Atlanta’s Schoni Schimmel attracted a crowd and Seattle used that buzz to lift its game.

Camille Little had 21 points and 13 rebounds and the Storm used a 13-0 first-quarter run to build a double-digit in an 88-68 victory over the Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta Dream on Thursday night.

Crystal Langhorne added 17 points and Temeka Johnson had 16 to help Seattle (11-20) keep alive its faint hopes of making the WNBA playoffs for the 11th straight season.

Tiffany Hayes had 16 points for the Dream (17-12) and Schoni Schimmel added 14. Atlanta has lost three straight and seven of its last nine.

Schimmel, last month’s WNBA All-Star game MVP, played in high school in Portland and grew up on the Umatilla Indian Reservation in northeastern Oregon.

Many in the sellout crowd of 9,686, including a large number from several Pacific Northwest tribes, wore Schimmel T-shirts or held up signs of support of the rookie star from Louisville. The loudest reaction of the night for any player was when Schimmel made a 3-pointer early in the second quarter.

“At the end of the day, we fed off of the energy, whether they were cheering for Schimmel or the Dream,” Little said. “It was loud, and it was a great atmosphere.”

Schimmel played 37 minutes and had four rebounds and six assists.

“I heard people traveled from Wyoming and Montana – those aren’t easy trips. We’re on a road game, but at the same time, it feels like a homecourt advantage,” she said. “It’s great to have the fans behind you. They tried to get us going, but we just came up a little short.”

The Storm, who average a league-low 70.6 points per game, led almost the entire way. The 13-point first-quarter run made it 19-5. Seattle hit 10 of 16 from the floor through the opening 10 minutes, had a 29-11 lead after one and kept the margin in double digits for the rest of the night.

It grew to as many as 28 points midway through the third quarter. Atlanta never got closer than 14.

“To be able to get the lead is great. But to be able to hold them off and win the game by as much as we did is even more impressive,” said Storm guard Sue Bird, who finished with 10 points and five assists. “We didn’t want to have to trade baskets with them. But whatever the case was, every time they came down and scored, we were able to answer.”

Atlanta has clinched its sixth consecutive playoff berth, but still has not secured the Eastern Conference crown. The Dream lead Washington by three games. Both teams have five left.

“We have to keep on pushing,” Hayes said. “We need to pick up our energy and make sure we get these last couple wins on the road.”

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote