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Liberty beat Fever 73-61 in season finale

By WTOP Staff

DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Tina Charles and the New York Liberty ended a disappointing season with a victory, just barely missing the playoffs for the second straight season.

Plenette Pierson scored 15 points and Anna Cruz added 10 to help the Liberty beat the Fever 73-61 on Sunday night, closing out the regular season for both teams. New York finished tied with Chicago for the final playoff spot, but lost the tiebreaker after getting swept by the Sky.

“It’s frustrating because we didn’t do what it takes to make the playoffs,” said Charles. “We can’t rely on luck we needed to put forth the same effort the entire year.”

It’s the second straight season that the Liberty missed the postseason, which didn’t sit well with Cappie Pondexter.

“When I first came to New York, I envisioned bringing a title here,” she said. “I’m upset. I don’t think it’s acceptable to not make the playoffs two years in a row. Fortunately, we’re going in the right direction to end the season.”

With the second seed in the playoffs already clinched, Indiana rested star Tamika Catchings along with starters Erlana Larkins and Briann January. The Fever (16-18) will open up the playoffs at home against Washington.

“I thought we did what we wanted to do, rest our three players … and give our backups some quality minutes against a very good team,” Indiana coach Lin Dunn said.

Rookie Maggie Lucas scored a season-high 17 points to lead the Fever.

“I thought Maggie Lucas did a great job off the bench, she’s competing for some backup minutes,” Dunn said. “It’s going to be hard keeping her on the bench. Real pleased with what she did.”

The Liberty (15-19) started out the year with high expectations after the draft day trade for Tina Charles, but the season ended in disappointing fashion again.

They led from the opening minutes. Indiana got within 59-55 with 6:31 left before New York scored six straight to restore its double-digit lead and seal the win.

The Liberty don’t have a pick in the league’s draft lottery, which takes place Thursday, because New York traded it to Connecticut as part of the deal to get Charles.

She had a great first season for the Liberty but couldn’t get them to the playoffs. Charles finished with 17 double-doubles, which tied for tops in the league.

“They worked very hard this year,” New York coach Bill Laimbeer said. “They can look back at themselves and realize the opportunity missed. We’re one game out of second. Pretty strange.”

___

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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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