Jan. 11, 2011

CORVALLIS, Ore. - The 1980-81 Oregon State men's basketball team will be honored on Saturday during the Beavers game against USC to highlight the 30-year anniversary of their No. 1 national ranking.

The 1980-81 team, coached by the late Ralph Miller, finished the season with a record of 26-2. The Beavers captured the Pacific-10 Conference title with a record of 17-1, and won its first 26 games overall. Oregon State held the stature of No. 1 in the country in the United Press International Poll from Jan. 13 through March 3, a total of eight weeks, and in the Associated Press Poll for five of those weeks.

Highlights from that season included defeating UCLA twice, beating Oregon three times by a combined 54 points, downing St. John's in New York, winning a thrilling overtime game at Washington and capturing the Far West Classic in Portland.

Senior center Steve Johnson earned All-American honors for the second consecutive year, after averaging 21.0 points and 7.7 rebounds. The center from San Bernardino, Cal., shot .746 from the field for the season, which is still an NCAA record.

Senior guards Mark Radford and Ray Blume, both Portland products, joined Johnson on the All-Pac-10 team. Radford was second on the team for scoring (13.0) and third for assists (3.3), while Blume was third for scoring (10.5) and second for assists (3.6). Junior guard Lester Conner, who would earn All-American acclaim the following season, led the team for assists at 4.0.

Miller was named the Associated Press, District 8, and Pac-10 Conference Coach of the Year for his efforts.

The 1980-81 Oregon State Roster

Alan Tait, Fr., G, Richmond, B.C.
Ray Blume, Sr., G, Portland (Parkrose HS)
Raymond Lankford, Fr., G, Oakland, CA
Mark Radford, Sr., G, Portland (Grant HS)
Lester Conner, Jr., G, Oakland, CA
Steve Johnson, Sr., C, San Bernardino, CA
William Brew, So., G, Berkeley, CA
Jamie Stangel, So., F, Milwaukie, OR
Jeff Wilson, Fr., F, Atlanta, GA
Bill McShane, Sr., F/C, Houston, TX
Rob Holbrook, Jr., F, Portland (Parkrose HS)
Danny Evans, So., F, Flint, MI
Jeff Stoutt, Sr., F, Lake Oswego, OR
Charlie Sitton, Fr., F, McMinnville, OR
Steve Lankton, Jr., G, Portland
Brett Starr., So., G, Portland (Jackson HS)
Scott McKie, Fr., G, West Linn, OR
Ralph Miller (Head Coach)
Jim Anderson (Asst. Coach)
Lanny Van Eman (Asst. Coach)
Steve Seidler (Asst. Coach)
Ken Schaudt (Manager)
Bill Wojciechowskie (Equipment)

The Beavers game against USC will begin at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are available by visiting www.osubeavers.com. or calling 1-800-GO-BEAVS. Fans can also purchase tickets by visiting the Oregon State Athletic Ticket Office located at legendary Gill Coliseum. Ticket office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Support Oregon State University Athletics by making your tax deductible donation to the Beaver Athletic Student Fund. For more information, and to purchase tickets, follow this link or call 541-737-2370. You can make an "Everyday Champion". Follow Beaver Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.