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With Pacers down 3-1, Vogel wants simple approach

By WTOP Staff

TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer

MIAMI (AP) — Frank Vogel stood with his back against a wall, seeming perfectly comfortable.

He’s hoping his Indiana Pacers can do the same.

The Pacers’ season of great expectation is now in great trouble, with the Miami Heat leading the Eastern Conference finals 3-1 heading into Game 5 at Indianapolis on Wednesday night. The Heat have won three straight in the series, and are now one win from ending the Pacers’ season for a third consecutive year.

“I think anytime you lose three in a row in the playoffs, it shakes your confidence some,” Vogel, the Pacers’ coach, said in a downtown Miami hotel lobby before his team headed to the airport Tuesday. “But we can’t worry about that. All we’ve got to worry about is coming back and winning Game 5 and giving us an opportunity to come down here and win one game.

“We’ve won one game in each playoff series that we’ve played here the last two years. We should have confidence that we can do that.”

It’s safe to wonder if confidence is in short supply, though, as the Pacers seem to be rattling.

Some Indiana issues in the last three games include: Floundering late to lose Game 2 at home, blowing a 15-point lead at Miami in Game 3, Lance Stephenson calling LeBron James out before Game 4, Roy Hibbert failing to score a point Monday, and Paul George and David West both putting that loss on what they thought was one-sided officiating.

“Home-cooking,” George said.

Added West: “We learned some new rules.”

Vogel said he wasn’t bothered by what George said, and declined to say if the Pacers would argue Game 4 officiating points with the league office. The league, however, had issues with George’s comments and fined the Pacers forward $25,000 on Tuesday for public criticism of the officiating.

Despite the fine and George’s concerns, Indiana — bolstered by a 37-15 edge in Game 1 — has still taken 94 free throws in the series to Miami’s 87, and the Heat have been charged with four more fouls.

“We can’t control calls,” Vogel said. “We’ve got to worry about what we (can control), our turnovers, our shot selection, our passing, our defense.”

There was some irony in George’s postgame remarks Monday night, in which he alternated between seeming to gently chide Stephenson for his “weakness” comments about James and making multiple references to the free-throw disparity in Game 4.

After Game 1’s one-sided foul-shot totals, the Heat did not openly complain about officiating.

“It had nothing to do with the disparity in that game,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We did everything wrong.”

They’ve pretty much done everything right since.

And now it’s the Pacers who have absolutely no room for error, since only eight teams in NBA history have successfully overcome a 3-1 series deficit. No one has done so this deep into the playoffs since 1981.

“We know we can close it out, but it’s going to be a very hostile environment,” said Heat forward Chris Bosh, who scored 25 points in Game 4. “We’re expecting that. We’re expecting them at their best. It’s always extremely hard to close out a team.”

Vogel — who held a pre-flight film session before the Pacers left Miami — said he implored his players in that meeting to only think about Game 5 and not allow themselves to become consumed with the daunting task of climbing out of a 3-1 hole.

“I think that is when we are at our best, when our back is against the wall,” Pacers guard George Hill said. “We are going to be home in front of our fans and I’m sure they’re going to be going crazy.”

The Heat would expect nothing less.

A win would give Miami more than a week off before the NBA Finals begin on June 5. It would also give the Heat franchise the distinction of being the third club in NBA history to make the finals in four straight seasons, joining the Celtics and Lakers.

“We don’t want to come back for Game 6,” James said. “We love our fans, obviously. We love being in Miami, but we want to try to close it out. But we’re going to have to work for it. It’s not going to be easy, not against this team.”

NOTES: Neither team practiced Tuesday…. Heat F Chris Andersen, held out of Game 4 with a deep thigh contusion, was getting treatment Tuesday. So was Heat G Ray Allen, who took a tumble after a hard screen late in Game 4.

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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