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Top-ranked UCLA can continue best start in 12 seasons

Dec 5, 2006 - 4:24 PM CS Fullerton (5-1) at No. 1 UCLA (6-0) 10:30 pm EST

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - UCLA has taken advantage of some weaker opponents recently to help build its best start since winning the 1995 NCAA championship.

Eying a showdown with Texas A&M in the John Wooden Classic on Saturday, the top-ranked Bruins look for their seventh consecutive victory in Tuesday's encounter with Cal State-Fullerton.

After losing to Florida in last spring's national title game, UCLA won this year's Maui Invitational over Georgia Tech. The Bruins followed that with relatively easy home triumphs over Long Beach State and Cal-Riverside.

Arron Afflalo scored 13 points and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute added 12 with 12 rebounds for the Bruins, who set a season low in points allowed in Sunday's 61-38 victory over the Highlanders.

Cal State-Fullerton has won five of six for the first time since 1998-99. The Titans are off to a fine start in their bid to post three straight winning seasons for the first time since 1981-1985, when they had four.

Bobby Brown and Justin Burns scored 21 points apiece and Scott Cutley added 12 for the Titans, who rebounded from their lone loss in Saturday's 76-67 victory over Texas-San Antonio.

UCLA has won all eight previous encounters with Cal State-Fullerton, including a 120-91 victory on December 13, 1997.