Oregon State 82, California 63

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) -- David Lucas was in a jubilant mood after

Oregon State clinched its first winning season in 15 years

Saturday.

"Two rebounds? That's it," he said looking at his stat line in

mock horror. Then he grinned big and called the Beavers' 82-63 win

in his final game at Gill Coliseum "probably the feeling I have

ever had."

Lucas, Oregon State's all-conference forward, scored 20 points

and Nick DeWitz had a career-high 28, avenging a 35-point loss at

Cal earlier this season and bolstering the Beavers' chances at a

first postseason appearance since 1990.

Rod Benson scored 18 points and Richard Midgley had all of his

11 in the first half for the Golden Bears (12-14, 5-11 Pacific-10

Conference). Cal had beaten Oregon State 14 straight times, and its

current five-game losing streak is its longest since 1991-92.

DeWitz, a junior transfer from Iowa, hit seven 3-pointers and

finished 10-of-15 from the field. He also had five rebounds, four

assists, two blocks and a steal.

Sasa Cuic scored 10 points for Oregon State, which went 12-1

this season at Gill Coliseum. But as good as the Beavers (16-11,

8-8) have been at home, they have been dreadful on the road, and

are still searching for a Pac-10 away victory. The team closes out

the regular season next weekend at UCLA and Southern Cal.

"We have to solve our road woes," said Beaver coach Jay John.

"But the same team that plays at Gill is the same team that goes

on the road and they just have to respond to the surroundings in

the same way."

The Beavers, who currently sit in fifth place in the Pac-10,

assured themselves of no worse than an eighth-place finish and a

berth in the conference tournament.

DeWitz hit five 3-pointers in the first half and the Beavers,

who trailed 17-16, used a 15-2 run to grab a big lead. The Bears

whittled the deficit down to eight, but Lamar Hurd converted a

steal into a fastbreak dunk and the Beavers led 40-27 at halftime.

Oregon State scored 10 points out of the blocks at the start of

the second half, putting to rest any notion of a comeback. The lead

was 25 points midway through the half and eventually got up to 30.

"Our confidence is sky high," he said. "We're going to L.A.

and back the next weekend for the conference tournament too, and

hopefully our momentum with Stanford and Cal will lead us to a

win."

The Bears beat Oregon State 91-66 in Berkeley, Calif., on Jan.

29, but have been falling steadily ever since. Cal has lost six of

its last seven games, including five by at least 15 points.

"You have to start with giving Oregon State credit," said Cal

coach Ben Braun. "They played well, but we have to look at

ourselves."

Oregon State's 14-straight losing seasons was the sixth-longest

in Division I. The Beavers last had a winning season in 1990, with

Gary Payton at point guard.

Saturday was Senior Day, and it served as a farewell for Lucas,

the son of NBA great Maurice Lucas and a one-time walk-on. The

Tigard, Ore., native is the Beavers' leading scorer at 18.2 points

per game.

Other Beavers playing in their final home game were J.S. Nash,

Vic Remmers, and Derek Potter. Another senior, Jim Hanchett, had

season-ending surgery on Feb. 10.