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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 9:29 a.m., Saturday, February 7, 2009

CBKB: Aboya scores 19 in UCLA's 89-63 win over Notre Dame

By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES — Alfred Aboya and the UCLA Bruins had Notre Dame for breakfast.

Aboya scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds in No. 15 UCLA's 89-63 rout Saturday that sent the Fighting Irish to their seventh consecutive loss for the first time since 1992-93.

It was the fourth straight blowout victory for the Bruins (19-4), who've won those games by an average of 22.7 points since an 86-75 loss at Washington on Jan. 24.

Darren Collison added 17 points and Nikola Dragovic and freshman Jermine Anderson had 10 points each for UCLA, which has forced 74 turnovers during its four-game winning streak, including 11 Saturday.

Tory Jackson scored 17 and Kyle McAlarney 16 for the Irish (12-10), who dropped to 2-7 against ranked opponents this season. Their worst losing streak under coach Mike Brey matches the seven in a row Notre Dame lost to end the 1992-93 season.

Playing for the first time since 2005, the teams tipped off at 10 a.m. because of the national telecast.

The Bruins sure didn't look groggy.

UCLA's trapping defense shut down an Irish team that came in averaging 79.4 points, but had just 30 at the break.

Aboya forced Irish star Luke Harangody into his worst performance of the season. He was held to five points and one rebound — none in the second half — the first time in 15 games the big man didn't lead the Irish offensively.

The Bruins took command from the opening tip, running out to leads of 14-2 and 20-7 while fans were still filling empty seats. Josh Shipp's one-handed fast-break dunk off a lob from Collison and Dragovic's stuff that sent Harangody sprawling to the floor highlighted the spree.

The Irish closed within 10 with 7:45 remaining, but UCLA took off again with an 18-12 spurt to end the half leading 46-20, keyed by seven points from Aboya and Dragovic's 3-pointer.

It took Notre Dame most of the second half to reach 40 points, while the Bruins scored 21 out of the gate, capped by Collison's consecutive 3-pointers.

Then he and Shipp traded fast-break layups that enlivened the crowd and extended UCLA's lead to 71-40.

A few minutes later, Aboya and Shipp sat down for good, which allowed the Irish to score more easily against some of UCLA's freshmen.