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Fever hold off Sky, 77-70

By WTOP Staff

JASON HADDIX
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Fever had to have thoughts of the Chicago’s historic comeback win four days ago in Atlanta.

But, unlike Tuesday night, Indiana fended off the late-charging Sky and held on to beat Chicago 77-70 on Saturday night in the opener of the Eastern Conference finals.

Indiana took a 60-48 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Sky stormed back with a 14-3 run to open the final period.

“We need a basket,” Shevonte Zellous said. “Whether it was someone penetrating or a two-point jump shot, we just needed a basket at a crucial time because Chicago had cut the lead to one.”

It was a pair of 3-points that Zellous hit that give the Fever a 69-63 lead late in the fourth quarter. Indiana’s separation on the scoreboard came when Chicago missed six straight shots following the fourth quarter surge. The Fever then made five trips to the free-throw line during the final 33 seconds, making 8 of 10 free throws.

Indiana shot nearly 43 percent from 3, while Chicago struggled making just 1 of 8.

“The difference in the game was we got 3-point shooting tonight,” Fever coach Lin Dunn said. “I though (Briann) January and Zellous and Maggie Lucas stepped up in crunch time, hit some really big 3’s for us.”

January scored 19 points and Zellous added 18 for the Fever on a night when Tamika Catchings struggled to find a shooting rhythm for the Fever.

“It is not an individual sport, it is a team sport,” Zellous said. “When (Catchings) was struggling, everybody played their part. The bench played really well tonight and that was one of our keys.”

Catchings did finish with 10 points, six of which came from the free-throw line. Lucas led Indiana’s reserves with eight points, including five straight on back-to-back possessions late in the third quarter.

Sylvia Fowles and Allie Quigley led Chicago’s comeback effort with each scoring five points in the late game run. Fowles led the Sky with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Elena Delle Donne and Quigley added 14 apiece.

“I think we showed a lot of fight,” Delle Donne said. “Indy was able to make some really clutch shots at the end.”

Indiana trailed Chicago only in the first two minutes of the game.

Game 2 will be in Chicago on Monday.

“I know going to Chicago is going to be even tougher,” January said. “They’re going to make adjustments and they play really well on their home court. We have to make our adjustments and come prepared. It is going to take everything we have to close it out in Chicago.”

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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