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Curry’s 32 lead Warriors over Rockets 113-106

By The Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) — Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors didn’t get much time to celebrate their 60th win, not with a game at San Antonio coming Wednesday night.

Curry scored 32 points, Klay Thompson had 25 and the Warriors built a big lead early and held on for a 113-106 win over the Houston Rockets to become the sixth NBA team to win at least 60 regular season games in three straight seasons.

The Warriors scored 37 points in the first quarter and never trailed on the way to their eighth straight victory.

After handling the third-seeded Rockets, the Western Conference-leading Warriors immediately shifted their focus to the Spurs, who are 2 ½ games behind them in the standings.

“This is an important time of the year, especially with our schedule and teams we have to go up against … all playoff teams and all atmospheres that, whether it’s home or road, that we need to win in,” said Curry, who tied a career high with 10 rebounds.

Golden State led by eight after a pair of free throws by Curry with just over three minutes left. Patrick Beverley countered with a tip-in layup for Houston, then was fouled when he was knocked down on a screen by Draymond Green seconds later.

James Harden missed a layup on the next possession before Green added a shot on the other end to put the Warriors up 107-99.

Another layup miss by Harden followed, and Curry made a 3-pointer with 1:46 left to send fans streaming to the exits.

“We just didn’t play well for whatever reason,” Houston coach Mike D’Antoni said. “This is not going to happen very often. This is a good learning experience … we’ve got to get better.”

Harden had 24 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds for his 20th triple-double this season. Houston’s four-game winning streak ended on a night when the Rockets made just 5 of 31 3-pointers.

“They missed some open ones, but that’s obviously a big focus for us when we play these guys,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “We try to keep them off the line, run them off the line and force them to beat us with 2s.”

Harden has been dealing with a sore left wrist that limited him on Tuesday.

“It’s pretty tough man, I’m not going to lie,” he said. “I don’t feel sorry for myself at all (but) the shot is just short and it’s frustrating when you can’t really follow through.”

The Warriors scored the last six points of the third quarter to lead 86-75 entering the fourth.

Golden State led by 22 in the first half and was up 60-52 at halftime.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Golden State expects to have an update on Kevin Durant’s health on Wednesday. Durant hasn’t played since Feb. 28 because of a left knee injury. … Green went to the locker room for a few minutes in the third quarter after tweaking his left ankle but returned late in the quarter. He finished with 19 points.

Rockets: Montrezl Harrell was away from the team for the birth of a child. … Harden has had at least 10 assists in nine straight games. … Clint Capela added 21 points.

KERR’S MILESTONE

Kerr reached 200 career wins, making him the fastest to reach the milestone in NBA history. He got there in his 238th game to surpass Phil Jackson, who got to 200 in his 270th game.

“I know how lucky I am,” Kerr said. “Most first-time coaches don’t inherit Steph Curry and Draymond and Klay and all these guys. I inherited a hell of a team.”

MCADOO INJURED

Golden State’s James Michael McAdoo was injured late in the first quarter when Trevor Ariza accidentally hit him in the head with his knee as the two fought for a rebound. McAdoo was bleeding from his head and rushed to the locker room. The team said he got seven stitches to close a cut above his left eyebrow, and he did not return.

UP NEXT

Warriors: Visit Spurs on Wednesday night.

Rockets: Visit Portland on Thursday night.

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For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

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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