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Griner and Taylor lift Mercury over Lynx 85-71

By WTOP Staff

AL BRAVO
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — A key third quarter stretch and tough defense on the league MVP has the Phoenix Mercury a win away from the WNBA Finals.

Brittney Griner had 23 points and 11 rebounds and the Mercury held off a late rally to beat the Minnesota Lynx 85-71 on Friday night in Game 1 of the best-of-3 Western Conference finals.

“Defensively we were just the team unit, so locked in, we have been so consistently good on the defensive end all season long and that was the key for us,” Phoenix coach Sandy Brondello said.

In particular, defense on league scoring leader and MVP Maya Moore, who was held to nine points on 3-of-9 shooting.

“Obviously, DeWanna Bonner, she is a great defender,” Brondello said. “She probably doesn’t get that kind of recognition, as she should, but she is, and she is always locking down the best player. Maya Moore is a great player but I thought we executed quite well against her.”

Penny Taylor added 16 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and a pair of steals for the Mercury, who built a 25-point lead in the third quarter before Minnesota got within 10 in the final period.

“It’s been tonight what I have been trying to do all season, is just fill the gaps, do what I can to lift the team when we need to,” the 12th-year veteran Taylor said. “Tonight it was a lot of assists in the first half and then in the second, I tried to be more aggressive on the boards and that sort of thing.”

Taylor missed her first three shots and then made 3 of 4 in the third when Phoenix pulled away.

Game 2 is Sunday in Minneapolis.

Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve credited Phoenix for keeping her big scorer quiet on Friday.

“Early in the game I thought that Maya didn’t have an understanding of what was available,” Reeve said. “I thought that Phoenix, in typical fashion, their team defense was really good. So maybe where Maya had openings, they closed quickly and her recognition of what happens next was not very good.”

Diana Taurasi added 17 points, six rebounds and five assists on an off-shooting night (5 for 15) while Bonner had 16 points and seven rebounds for Phoenix, which won three of four meetings with Minnesota during the regular season.

The Mercury held Minnesota to 40 percent shooting (29-of-73) and outrebounded the Lynx 45-31.

“Everyone kind of took turns on making sure the boards were sound and when we do that it gives us a little more freedom on offense to go,” Taurasi said.

Lindsay Whalen had 25 points to lead the Lynx. Rebekkah Brunson had 10 points and eight rebounds.

“We have some things to fix,” Brunson said. “We didn’t approach this game the way we should have but we know that we can play a lot better.”

Whalen hit a 3-pointer, had a steal and easy layup in a 17-8 run that got Minnesota to 75-64 with 5:16 left but Taylor drew a fifth foul on Moore and sank the free throws to give Phoenix a little breathing room. Taylor and Taurasi hit free throws in the final minute after the Lynx pulled to 81-71 with 1:30 left.

Taylor had eight points and a key alley-oop pass to Griner during a decisive 14-0 run midway through the third quarter that gave Phoenix a 63-39 lead over the defending WNBA champions.

The Lynx were 4 for 15 at one point in the third quarter, after trailing by just nine early in the period.

“That was probably the best stretch we’ve had on both sides of the ball this year,” Taurasi said. “In a game where we obviously have to play at that level to beat them. That’s just how good they are.”

It is the third meeting in four years in the conference finals for the Lynx and Mercury.

Both teams swept their respective first-round playoff series, setting up the much-hyped conference final matchup.

Phoenix jumped out to a 9-0 lead after hitting its first four shots but Minnesota bounced back with eight straight points itself and trailed 23-20 after the first quarter.

But Moore made only 1 of 6 from the field, scoring two points, as the Lynx trailed 42-31 at the break.

The Lynx swept the Mercury in the 2011 and 2013 conference finals on their way to winning WNBA titles. Minnesota has reached the final round for three straight years.

Moore earned league MVP honors, averaging nearly 24 points and eight rebounds a game. She shot 48 percent from the field during the season.

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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