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WNBA Finals berth on line when Lynx face Mercury

By WTOP Staff

AL BRAVO
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — The season-long rivalry between the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury comes down to one final game.

The teams meet Tuesday night with the winner earning a berth in the WNBA Finals.

Minnesota rallied to beat the Mercury 82-77 on Sunday to force a Game 3 of the Western Conference finals. The series shifts to Phoenix, where the Mercury are 16-1 this season and winners of 15 in a row.

Still, the Game 2 triumph left the Lynx optimistic.

“We’re very hungry and we’re in a good position now,” Minnesota’s Seimone Augustus said. “At this point everything is laid out on the table. We know their plays. We know the tricks they kind of put in. It’s just a will to win and who wants it most.”

Phoenix has not lost consecutive games all season. And Phoenix has won four of six games against the Lynx this year.

“Everyone is disappointed, but we knew it’s going to be a tough series going in,” Phoenix coach Sandy Brondello said. “These are the two best teams in the WNBA. They are the defending champions. We have an opportunity to go back to Arizona and have the ‘X factor’ (home crowd) there to support us. And it’s our home court so we need to go in there with confidence and shake off the things we didn’t do well.”

On Sunday, the Mercury started well but faltered at the end. After trailing by as many as 13, Minnesota rallied in the fourth quarter. Phoenix led 62-56 going into the final period, but Maya Moore scored 13 of her 32 points in that final 10 minutes and the Lynx broke a 75-75 tie with 23 seconds left to win.

“I think it’s going to be how our stars play and how the ‘X factors’ in the game perform,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said. “We still have some more work to do and we’re ready for the gates to open for us. It would be nice to get off to a better start in Game 3 as well, and have a better first quarter.”

Phoenix guard Diana Taurasi said her team played well for 3 1-2 quarters Sunday.

“I thought our energy was fine throughout the whole game even when they were playing well,” Taurasi said. “We stayed in it till the end of the game and they made it difficult for us at the end. But I thought we played a good game.”

Phoenix also jumped to a big lead in Game 1, but never faltered in an 85-71 victory.

Moore, the WNBA MVP, was held to nine points in Game 1. But on Sunday, especially in the fourth quarter, she was the catalyst that pushed the Lynx to the win.

“She had the mindset that she’s the best player in the league and nobody can stop her,” Reeve said. “I thought she said, ‘I’m a great player and I’m going to go play and have fun.’ That’s what I thought she did.”

Moore said the team just wasn’t going to fold.

“We just keep believing, keep believing that we’re going to make the next play,” she said. “When we get our stops like we did in the last few minutes, we get a little pep in our steps. We have no doubt that if we put ourselves in good position, good things are going to happen for us.”

Phoenix has won four of six games against the Lynx this season.

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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