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Sims helps Shock beat Stars 79-62

By WTOP Staff

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Odyssey Sims has already helped the Shock achieve a record season. Now the rookie will try and get the franchise its first playoff appearance since moving to Tulsa.

Sims scored 22 points and Tulsa routed San Antonio 79-62 on Friday night to give the Shock a 12th win — the most since the team moved from Detroit in 2010. The Shock sit one game behind the Stars for the final playoff spot with three games to play. San Antonio holds the tiebreaker between the teams winning three of the five meetings.

“We’re pushing for the playoffs but we’re taking it one game at a time,” said Glory Johnson, who added 14 points and 12 rebounds. “It’s been a tough push but it is three steps now (with road games at Seattle, Atlanta and Minnesota). We have to forget about what’s happened in the past.”

Johnson tied Cheryl Ford’s franchise record with her 17th double-double this season.

“It’s huge tying her record,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to be considered only a player who can score. It’s huge to contribute and help my team in more than one way.”

Sims scored 13 of her points in the second half before leaving the game with 1:49 left after landing on her left shoulder at midcourt. After lying on the floor for about 15 seconds, Sims made her way to feet using her right arm for balance. She raced over to the bench and was taken to the locker room. She wasn’t available postgame.

Courtney Paris had 11 points and 11 rebounds for her 12th double-double this season. She said that said winning the final regular season home game was a tribute to Tulsa fans.

“It’s the story of our season,” Paris said. “We don’t give up. We keep battling. We will continue to fight these last few games. It’s a lot of fun.”

Sims showed off her athleticism in the first half when she bounced the ball hard over the head of defender Danielle Robinson and collected the ball for a layup.

“She’s so crafty with the ball,” said Skylar Diggins, who socred 14 points. “She’s a great finisher. She has a great body to be able to take the contact. She’s also light on her feet. She’s just a fun to watch.”

Tulsa entered intermission with just 14 rebounds, compared to 22 for San Antonio. With rebounding a focus, the Shock narrowed that gap to 34-33 by game’s end.

“We talked at half about stepping up, getting the loose balls and getting some rebounds,” Tulsa head coach Fred Williams said. “We let some easy shots get away in the first half. We wanted to get the ball inside in the second half. We also got some run-outs that led to some easy baskets.”

San Antonio (13-18) had three players in double figures led by Becky Hammon with 16.

“Give Tulsa credit, I thought they did a great job we didn’t get our legs into it off the back to back,” Stars coach Dan Hughes said. “For the first half we did what we wanted but Tulsa is really athletic with the ball with Diggins and Sims.

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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