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Cousins hurts knee in US practice, not serious

By WTOP Staff

JAY COHEN
AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — DeMarcus Cousins had a big bag of ice on his right knee while he watched the end of practice Thursday. He briefly covered his face with a towel as trainers milled around his table next to the folded gym bleachers.

Just making it to the World Cup of Basketball is proving to be quite a chore for the U.S. national team.

Cousins was injured when he got tangled with Anthony Davis after both big men hit the floor going after a loose ball during a scrimmage. An MRI on Cousins’ knee showed no structural damage, and USA Basketball said the Sacramento Kings star was day to day.

The test result for Cousins was a breath of fresh air for a U.S. team still recovering from the gruesome injury to Paul George.

“He said he got a little scared, obviously, when you go down after we had that prior injury,” said Jerry Colangelo, the managing director of USA Basketball.

Cousins yelled out in distress as the practice pileup dissipated, leaving the center on his back near the free-throw line on one side of the court. He was helped off the floor, and then was confined to the training table for the remaining part of the first of two practices in Chicago before Saturday night’s exhibition against Brazil at the United Center.

Cousins took a few ginger steps while players were coming off the floor at the end of practice.

“Definitely scary, not just the fact that he went down, but the fact that I actually was the one who dove on him,” said Davis, a Chicago native who plays for New Orleans. “I kind of feel bad and I hope he’s fine because he really wants to be here. He really wants to play.”

It was the first practice for the Americans since George broke his right leg during an intrasquad scrimmage on Aug. 1 in Las Vegas. George had surgery the next day, and the Indiana Pacers say their two-time All-Star is expected to make a full recovery.

Colangelo has guaranteed a spot for George for the 2016 Olympics, and the rest of the national team seems to have rallied around the talented small forward. They are planning to wear a special shooting shirt for him for their games before the Cup, and several players talked about winning the World Cup for him.

“The week off that we had, after we saw what happened to Paul, it kind of calmed us down a little bit because right afterwards it was kind of devastating,” Bulls point guard Derrick Rose said. “You put yourself in that position like him — that could have been me — but now that he’s had surgery and it seems like he’s recovering, our goal is just to come out here and compete for our country.”

The U.S. absorbed another big blow last week when NBA MVP Kevin Durant withdrew from the player pool. The Oklahoma City star was the MVP of the world championship in 2010, leading the Americans to that title for the first time since 1994.

Durant said he “could not fulfill my responsibilities to the team from both a time and energy standpoint,” joining previous withdrawals by All-Stars Kevin Love, Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge.

“It was a surprise, but Kevin is a terrific guy and a terrific USA Basketball guy and he was really despondent about not being able to play,” Colangelo said. “He wanted to, but he found himself in a situation where he had no choice.”

Asked to elaborate, Colangelo responded: “His contractual situation.”

Durant’s contract with the Thunder runs through the 2015-16 season, but he is believed to be talking to shoe companies about a new endorsement agreement. Messages were left Thursday seeking comment from Leon Rose, Durant’s agent, and Nike, which has outfitted Durant for years.

In the meantime, the roster for the U.S. national team is at 16 players after Rudy Gay joined the pool following Durant’s departure. It has to be cut to 12 before the World Cup begins on Aug. 30.

The trip to Chicago is a homecoming for Rose, Davis, Colangelo and U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski, and Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau also is back in town as an assistant for the U.S. team. It’s especially sweet for Rose, who has missed much of the last two NBA seasons due to knee injuries.

“It’s going to be fun,” Rose said. “Everybody’s been talking about it in the city, it seems like there’s a buzz.”

___

Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap

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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