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Adams scores 18 points, Stars beat Sky 84-72

By WTOP Staff

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — Danielle Adams led a balanced offense as the San Antonio Stars secured the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Adams had 18 points and 11 rebounds to help the Stars beat the Chicago Sky 84-72 in the regular-season finale for both teams Sunday. San Antonio will face defending champion Minnesota in the first round of the postseason.

“What I like is that I feel we’ve got a little rhythm going into the playoffs, we’ll take some time and get ready,” said San Antonio coach Dan Hughes. “But they’re just awfully good. Minnesota is an exceptional basketball team.”

The Stars (16-18) and Sky had already clinched playoff berths, and each team had a chance to improve its seeding, but Chicago opted to rest three regulars: Elena Delle Donne, Sylvia Fowles and Epiphanny Prince.

However, But 16-year veteran Becky Hammon was on the court for the Stars in her final regular-season WNBA game. She had four assists in 10 minutes as San Antonio avoided a first-round matchup with league-best Phoenix.

Jia Perkins scored 13 points while Shenise Johnson and Kayla McBride each added 12 for San Antonio.

Courtney Clements led Chicago (15-19) with 17 points, while Allie Quigley added 16.

San Antonio tied with Los Angeles for third in the Western Conference but earned the No. 3 seed by winning three of four in the season series. The Lynx won four of five against the Stars in the regular season and the teams will open their playoff series Thursday night in Minnesota.

The Sky finished fourth in the Eastern Conference after dropping their last two games and will face top-seeded Atlanta (19-15) in the opener of their series on Friday night.

“Throughout all our adversities we’re starting the second season — the championship season — 0-0,” said Chicago coach Pokey Chatman, who had four starters out at various times this season. “At a time that we need it most they’ll all be playing together and that should infuse them with some energy, excitement and enthusiasm”

The Stars led 22-21 after one quarter after outscoring the Sky 8-2 in the final 2:02. San Antonio opened the second period with seven consecutive points and went on to a 35-23 advantage less than 4 minutes in after Jia Perkins’ fast-break layup.

Adams scored 12 points as the Stars led 51-35 at the break. San Antonio maintained a double digit lead through the third quarter, leading 65-54 entering the final 10 minutes.

Hammon, a six-time WBNA All-Star, is retiring after 16 seasons. The 37-year-old guard was hired as an assistant coach with the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs earlier this month.

But her WNBA career continues as long as the Stars remain alive in the playoffs.

“We’ve been playing well this last week or so and we’ve been playing solid basketball going into the playoffs,” Hammon said. “I think that’s the bigger picture.”

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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