UCLA had just given up back-to-back offensive rebounds midway through the second half when a roar emerged from the small crowd inside Pauley Pavilion.
The few fans who showed up were cheering the massive young man lumbering toward the scorer’s table to check into the game against Cal State Fullerton for the first time.
The volume only went up every time Aday Mara touched the ball.
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On his first opportunity Friday night, the sophomore center made a layup in traffic. The next time he took a pass, a murmur built into a crescendo as he rose for a jump hook.