Aboya has fracture near eye; Love works out

Alfred Aboya sustained a fracture to the orbital floor of his right eye Friday night during UCLA’s 81-47 victory over Yale at Pauley Pavilion, the school confirmed Saturday.

A UCLA spokesman said the junior power forward would be evaluated Monday by a specialist and a determination would be made whether Aboya will need surgery to repair the bone that surrounds the eye.

UCLA Coach Ben Howland said Friday that if the fracture is displaced, which means surgery most likely would be necessary, Aboya could be sidelined for up to six weeks. If it is a simple fracture, Aboya would miss fewer games but would probably have to wear a protective mask during practice and games.

Freshman center Kevin Love, who left Friday’s game after his left ankle turned over, did individual workouts Saturday and is expected to be ready when the Bruins resume practice Tuesday to get ready for this week’s games against George Washington and Texas.

Aboya, averaging 3.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in nearly 20 minutes a game, was injured in the first half Friday. He was fighting for a rebound with Yale forward Nick Holmes, who had the ball and swung his hands. Aboya took a blow to the face.

Howland said the injury was “frustrating,” and Aboya’s teammate and fellow Cameroonian Luc Richard Mbah a Moute said the whole team feels for Aboya.

“He’s been working so hard,” Mbah a Moute said. “You could tell his game was really coming out.”

With forwards James Keefe and Michael Roll already sidelined -- Keefe is recovering from August shoulder surgery and Roll from a ruptured ligament in his left foot -- Howland is making due with a shortened front-court rotation.

If Aboya is going to miss significant time, Howland probably would move senior center Lorenzo Mata-Real into the starting lineup and start Love at Aboya’s power forward spot.

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diane.pucin@latimes.com