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Langhorne lifts Storm to 71-65 win over Stars

By WTOP Staff

STEVE HUNTER
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — Crystal Langhore and Sue Bird came through for the Seattle Storm with the type of big plays that had been absent during a seven-game losing streak.

Langhorne scored 15 of her 19 points in the second half to help the Storm beat the San Antonio Stars 71-65 on Sunday night. She scored seven and Bird added five in the final three minutes of the game after the Stars had rallied from an 18-point first half deficit to take a 59-57 lead.

Bird had a key steal and layup to give Seattle a 67-61 lead after Langhorne had delivered two three-point plays and Bird had hit a short jumper.

“Sue made a huge play defensively with the steal and the layup,” said Storm coach Brian Agler, pleased to see a number of big plays by his team late in the game. “People that have watched us play over the years, that’s what they’re used to seeing down the stretch.”

Camille Little added 15 points and Bird 10 for Seattle (10-20), which moved within 3 1/2 games of the Stars for the fourth and final playoff berth with just four games left.

“It was just a couple of consecutive plays that I was able to be a part of and able to make,” Bird said about the fourth-quarter rally. “The first time was a look for myself. The second time they came to me so I found Crystal. And defensively we were able to do just enough to get a win.”

Langhorne, in her first year with the Storm, downplayed her role.

“Actually, I still think I missed a lot of chippies,”said Langhorne, who also had 10 rebounds. “But I tried to be aggressive, going with the roll and trying to get to the high post and attack and not set up for jumpers but getting into the paint and finish looks.”

Kayla McBride scored 17 and Danielle Adams 14 – all in the second half – to lead San Antonio (13-16), which fell a half game behind Los Angeles for third place in the west. The Stars have lost seven of nine but still are three up on Tulsa for the final playoff spot.

“We got back into it but we didn’t finish some defensive plays,” Stars coach Dan Hughes said. “Part of it was you have to expend so much energy coming back from 18 (points down).”

Agler remained confident his team would eventually end its long losing streak.

“The players at some point just get tired of losing,” Agler said. “They either regain a sharper focus or get something back that drives them inside. I think several of those people that made plays showed that out there tonight.”

The Storm took the season series from San Antonio 3-1.

“Hopefully, a taste of this can help propel us the rest of the season,” Bird said. “I know that it doesn’t look good for us but truth be told anything can happen and all we can do is take care of ourselves. We have four games left, three at home, so hopefully we can at least feel like we felt tonight in this building for us and our fans.”

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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