Chris Stephens scored 23 points to lead Oregon State to a 73-68 victory over Western Michigan in the fifth place game of the Rainbow Classic yesterday at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Nick DeWitz added 14 points for Oregon State (6-4), while Sasa Cuic had 11.

Andrew Hershberger had 19 points and a career-high 15 rebounds to lead Western Michigan (3-6). Joe Reitz added 16 points and Stanes Bufford 12 for the Broncos.

With the game tied at 45 with 16:33 remaining, Oregon State went on a 16-4 run lasting about seven minutes, sparked by six points each from DeWitz and Cuic.

Western Michigan closed to 71-68 on Andre Ricks baseline jumper with 8.8 seconds remaining.

But Stephens then made two free throws to seal the victory for the Beavers.

Oregon State led 37-36 at halftime after a tight first period that saw two ties and six lead changes.

A 14-3 Western Michigan run, capped by a 3-pointer by Hershberger, gave the Broncos a 28-21 lead with eight minutes remaining in the first, the biggest lead of the half by either team.

Western Michigan outrebounded Oregon State 42-33 but made just 4 of 17 3-point attempts (23.5 percent).

OREGON ST. (6-4)

Jones 3-7 0-0 7, Fontenet 2-6 0-0 4, Dewitz 6-10 1-2 14, Stephens 8-11 6-6 23, Jeffers 4-9 1-2 9, Hurd 0-4 5-6 5, Tsagarakis 0-0 0-1 0, McGillis 0-0 0-0 0, Cuic 4-7 1-2 11. Totals 27-54 14-19 73.

W. MICHIGAN (3-6)

Snider 3-13 2-2 9, Hershberger 8-16 1-2 19, Ricks 2-6 0-0 4, Bufford 3-10 6-7 12, Reitz 8-14 0-3 16, Fracalossi 1-2 0-0 3, Drews 0-0 0-0 0, Hess 1-2 1-2 3, deVries 0-1 0-0 0, Gary 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 27-69 10-16 68.

Halftime—Oregon State 37-36. 3-Point Goals—Oregon St. 5-9 (Cuic 2-2, Dewitz 1-1, Stephens 1-2, Jones 1-2, Fontenet 0-2), W. Michigan 4-17 (Hershberger 2-5, Fracalossi 1-1, Snider 1-7, Bufford 0-1, Gary 0-1, Ricks 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Oregon St. 33 (Jones 8), W. Michigan 42 (Hershberger 15). Assists—Oregon St. 14 (Fontenet 6), W. Michigan 14 (Snider 9). Total Fouls—Oregon St. 17, W. Michigan 20. A—482.

SOUTH FLORIDA 54, LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 50

James Holmes scored 24 points yesterday to lead the Bulls (6-5) to a victory over the Lions (3-9) for seventh place in the Rainbow Classic.

Melvin Buckley had 10 points and Solomon Jones added nine points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls.

Holmes' 3-pointer from the left wing gave South Florida a 52-50 lead with 30 seconds remaining. Loyola Marymount turned the ball over then missed a 3-pointer with less than 5 seconds to go, and South Florida's Chris Capko made two free throws to seal the victory.

Chris Ayer led Loyola Marymount with 12 points and Matthew Knight added nine.

South Florida led 34-19 at halftime and by as much as 16 early in the second half. Loyola Marymount then outscored the Bulls 23-7 over the next 10 minutes, tying the game at 42 on John Montgomery's 3-pointer with 9:48 remaining.

Ayer's hook shot with 1:47 left gave Loyola Marymount a 50-49 lead, the Lions' first lead since they went up 2-0 to open the game.

SOUTH FLORIDA (6-5)

Buckley 3-7 1-2 10, Capko 1-2 4-4 6, Mattis 2-3 1-4 5, Holmes 9-18 2-2 24, Jones 3-15 3-6 9, Richardson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-45 11-18 54.

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT (3-9)

Worthy 1-5 4-4 6, Wardrop 3-11 0-0 8, Knight 4-7 1-2 9, Ziri 2-7 0-0 5, Ayer 5-8 2-4 12, Montgomery 3-6 0-0 8, Deric 0-0 0-0 0, Haywood 1-2 0-0 2, Brown 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-47 7-10 50.

Halftime—South Florida 34-19. 3-Point Goals—South Florida 7-13 (Holmes 4-6, Buckley 3-7), Loyola Marymount 5-15 (Montgomery 2-4, Wardrop 2-8, Ziri 1-3). Fouled Out—Ayer. Rebounds—South Florida 31 (Jones 13), Loyola Marymount 27 (Knight 9). Assists—South Florida 8 (Capko 5), Loyola Marymount 12 (Worthy 5). Total Fouls—South Florida 13, Loyola Marymount 13. A—NA.