UCSB

CALSD

Tait-Jones' 20 lead UC San Diego past UC Santa Barbara in Big West Tournament semifinals, 69-51

AP
Mar 14, 2025

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones had 20 points in top-seeded UC San Diego Tritons's 69-51 win over fifth-seeded UC Santa Barbara Gauchos on Friday in the Big West Conference Tournament semifinals.

The Tritons will face the winner of the semifinal between No. 2 UC Irvine and seventh-seeded Cal Poly in Saturday's championship game.

Tait-Jones also contributed eight rebounds, nine assists, and three blocks for the Tritons (29-4). Tyler McGhie scored 13 points while going 2 of 13 from the floor, including 2 for 10 from 3-point range, and 7 for 9 from the line and added five rebounds. Nordin Kapic shot 5 for 10, including 2 for 6 from beyond the arc to finish with 13 points. The Tritons picked up their 13th straight win.

Stephan D. Swenson led the Gauchos (21-13) in scoring, finishing with 12 points and six assists. UCSB also got 12 points from Ben Shtolzberg. Kenny Pohto had 10 points.

Tait-Jones scored seven points in the first half and UCSD went into halftime trailing 27-26. UCSD pulled off the victory after an 18-2 second-half run erased a two-point deficit and gave them the lead at 46-32 with 12:39 left in the half. Tait-Jones scored 13 second-half points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

1st Half
UCSB
Gauchos
27
UCSD
Tritons
26

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Kenny Pohto vs. Nordin Kapic (Gauchos gains possession)
19:47		Jason Fontenet II misses two point jump shot
19:45		Tyler McGhie defensive rebound
19:02		Nordin Kapic misses three point jump shot
19:00		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones offensive rebound
18:53	+3	Hayden Gray makes three point jump shot	0-3
18:40	+2	Stephan Swenson makes two point layup	2-3
18:13		Kenny Pohto shooting foul (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones draws the foul)
18:13		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones misses regular free throw 1 of 2
18:13		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones misses regular free throw 2 of 2
18:13		Koat Keat Tong defensive rebound
17:50		Cole Anderson misses three point jump shot
17:48		Colin Smith offensive rebound
17:43		Stephan Swenson misses three point jump shot
17:41		Nordin Kapic defensive rebound
17:35		Stephan Swenson blocks Tyler McGhie's two point layup
17:35		Tritons offensive rebound
17:33		Jason Fontenet II shooting foul (Tyler McGhie draws the foul)
17:33		Tyler McGhie misses regular free throw 1 of 3
17:33		Tyler McGhie misses regular free throw 2 of 3
17:33	+1	Tyler McGhie makes regular free throw 3 of 3	2-4
17:15		Hayden Gray personal foul
16:54		Gauchos turnover (shot clock violation)
16:33		Max Murrell shooting foul (Nordin Kapic draws the foul)
16:33		Nordin Kapic misses regular free throw 1 of 2
16:33	+1	Nordin Kapic makes regular free throw 2 of 2	2-5
16:25		Jason Fontenet II misses three point jump shot
16:23		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones defensive rebound
15:56	+2	Chris Howell makes two point layup (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones assists)	2-7
15:28		Colin Smith misses three point jump shot
15:26		Tyler McGhie defensive rebound
15:02		Chris Howell misses three point jump shot
15:00		Kenny Pohto defensive rebound
14:53		Deuce Turner misses three point jump shot
14:51		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones defensive rebound
14:36		Tyler McGhie misses two point jump shot
14:34		Gauchos defensive rebound
14:33		TV timeout
14:08		Koat Keat Tong turnover (bad pass)
13:58		Tyler McGhie misses three point jump shot
13:56		Koat Keat Tong defensive rebound
13:56		Maximo Milovich personal foul (Koat Keat Tong draws the foul)
13:28		Stephan Swenson misses three point jump shot
13:26		Colin Smith offensive rebound
13:26		Gauchos turnover (shot clock violation)
13:17		Justin Rochelin misses three point jump shot
13:15		Hayden Gray offensive rebound
13:10		Tyler McGhie misses three point jump shot
13:08		Kenny Pohto defensive rebound
13:04	+2	Colin Smith makes two point layup (Stephan Swenson assists)	4-7
13:04		Justin Rochelin shooting foul (Colin Smith draws the foul)
13:04	+1	Colin Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 1	5-7
12:44	+2	Nordin Kapic makes two point layup (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones assists)	5-9
12:34		Jason Fontenet II offensive foul (Nordin Kapic draws the foul)
12:34		Jason Fontenet II turnover (offensive foul)
12:12		Koat Keat Tong blocks Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones's two point layup
12:10		Stephan Swenson defensive rebound
12:03	+3	Cole Anderson makes three point jump shot (Stephan Swenson assists)	8-9
11:41		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones misses two point jump shot
11:39		Tritons offensive rebound
11:38		TV timeout
11:29	+2	Nordin Kapic makes two point jump shot	8-11
10:55		Cole Anderson misses three point jump shot
10:53		Tritons defensive rebound
10:32	+3	Tyler McGhie makes three point jump shot (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones assists)	8-14
10:19		Cole Anderson misses three point jump shot
10:17		Gauchos offensive rebound
10:17		Aidan Burke personal foul
10:00	+3	Max Murrell makes three point jump shot (Stephan Swenson assists)	11-14
9:39		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones misses three point jump shot
9:37		Jason Fontenet II defensive rebound
9:22	+2	Kenny Pohto makes two point layup (Max Murrell assists)	13-14
8:54		Cole Anderson personal foul (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones draws the foul)
8:50		Kenny Pohto personal foul (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones draws the foul)
8:45	+3	Aidan Burke makes three point jump shot (Tyler McGhie assists)	13-17
8:24		Stephan Swenson misses two point layup
8:22		Tyler McGhie defensive rebound
7:59		Ben Shtolzberg personal foul (Tyler McGhie draws the foul)
7:58		TV timeout
7:58	+1	Tyler McGhie makes regular free throw 1 of 2	13-18
7:58	+1	Tyler McGhie makes regular free throw 2 of 2	13-19
7:34	+3	Colin Smith makes three point jump shot (Stephan Swenson assists)	16-19
7:17		Tyler McGhie misses three point jump shot
7:15		Cole Anderson defensive rebound
6:46		Colin Smith misses three point jump shot
6:44		Kenny Pohto offensive rebound
6:40		Stephan Swenson misses three point jump shot
6:38		Gauchos offensive rebound
6:38		Hayden Gray personal foul
6:35	+2	Kenny Pohto makes two point dunk (Stephan Swenson assists)	18-19
6:12		Hayden Gray misses two point jump shot
6:10		Kenny Pohto defensive rebound
5:51		Justin Rochelin blocks Deuce Turner's two point layup
5:49		Hayden Gray defensive rebound
5:40		Tyler McGhie misses three point jump shot
5:38		Jason Fontenet II defensive rebound
5:31		Chris Howell shooting foul (Jason Fontenet II draws the foul)
5:31		Jason Fontenet II misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:31	+1	Jason Fontenet II makes regular free throw 2 of 2	19-19
5:17		Nordin Kapic misses two point jump shot
5:15		Koat Keat Tong defensive rebound
4:59	+3	Stephan Swenson makes three point jump shot (Ben Shtolzberg assists)	22-19
4:41		Nordin Kapic misses three point jump shot
4:39		Stephan Swenson defensive rebound
4:24	+2	Ben Shtolzberg makes two point jump shot (Stephan Swenson assists)	24-19
4:14		TV timeout
3:49		Tritons turnover (shot clock violation)
3:27		Stephan Swenson misses three point jump shot
3:25		Ben Shtolzberg offensive rebound
3:08		Cole Anderson misses three point jump shot
3:06		Justin Rochelin defensive rebound
2:57		Cole Anderson shooting foul (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones draws the foul)
2:57	+1	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2	24-20
2:57		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones misses regular free throw 2 of 2
2:57		Ben Shtolzberg defensive rebound
2:28		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones blocks Colin Smith's two point layup
2:26		Chris Howell defensive rebound
2:23		Ben Shtolzberg shooting foul (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones draws the foul)
2:23	+1	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2	24-21
2:23	+1	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2	24-22
2:00	+3	Stephan Swenson makes three point jump shot	27-22
1:49	+2	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes two point layup	27-24
1:32		Stephan Swenson turnover (lost ball)
1:08		Nordin Kapic misses three point jump shot
1:06		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones offensive rebound
1:02	+2	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes two point layup	27-26
1:02		Gauchos 30 second timeout
0:49		Jason Fontenet II misses two point layup
0:45		Gauchos offensive rebound
0:36		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones blocks Cole Anderson's three point jump shot
0:34		Gauchos offensive rebound
0:29		Colin Smith misses three point jump shot
0:27		Colin Smith offensive rebound
0:07		Colin Smith misses three point jump shot
0:05		Jason Fontenet II offensive rebound
0:01		Colin Smith misses two point layup
0:00		Chris Howell defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
UCSB
Gauchos
24
UCSD
Tritons
43

Time		Play	Score
19:36		Tyler McGhie misses three point jump shot
19:34		Stephan Swenson defensive rebound
19:18		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones blocks Kenny Pohto's two point layup
19:16		Nordin Kapic defensive rebound
19:09	+2	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes two point layup	27-28
18:48	+3	Stephan Swenson makes three point jump shot (Cole Anderson assists)	30-28
18:38		Stephan Swenson personal foul
18:27		Max Murrell blocks Hayden Gray's two point layup
18:25		Stephan Swenson defensive rebound
18:15		Hayden Gray personal foul (Jason Fontenet II draws the foul)
18:00		Koat Keat Tong turnover (bad pass) (Hayden Gray steals)
17:51		Koat Keat Tong shooting foul (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones draws the foul)
17:51		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones misses regular free throw 1 of 2
17:51	+1	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2	30-29
17:35		Max Murrell turnover (bad pass) (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones steals)
17:19		Tyler McGhie misses three point jump shot
17:17		Jason Fontenet II defensive rebound
17:05		Chris Howell personal foul (Jason Fontenet II draws the foul)
16:48		Cole Anderson turnover (bad pass)
16:34		Kenny Pohto personal foul (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones draws the foul)
16:31		Jason Fontenet II shooting foul (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones draws the foul)
16:31	+1	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2	30-30
16:31	+1	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2	30-31
16:02	+2	Ben Shtolzberg makes two point jump shot	32-31
15:50		Tyler McGhie misses three point jump shot
15:48		Tritons offensive rebound
15:48		Cole Anderson personal foul
15:48		TV timeout
15:25	+3	Tyler McGhie makes three point jump shot (Chris Howell assists)	32-34
15:10		Ben Shtolzberg technical foul
15:10		Ben Shtolzberg turnover (offensive foul)
15:10	+1	Tyler McGhie makes technical free throw 1 of 2	32-35
15:10	+1	Tyler McGhie makes technical free throw 2 of 2	32-36
14:47	+2	Hayden Gray makes two point jump shot	32-38
14:19		Jason Fontenet II misses three point jump shot
14:17		Hayden Gray defensive rebound
14:11	+2	Chris Howell makes two point dunk (Hayden Gray assists)	32-40
13:53		Justin Rochelin personal foul (Jason Fontenet II draws the foul)
13:49		Max Murrell misses three point jump shot
13:47		Jason Fontenet II offensive rebound
13:44		Aidan Burke personal foul (Jason Fontenet II draws the foul)
13:44		Max Murrell misses three point jump shot
13:42		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones defensive rebound
13:15	+3	Aidan Burke makes three point jump shot (Nordin Kapic assists)	32-43
13:02		Stephan Swenson misses three point jump shot
13:00		Gauchos offensive rebound
12:55		Kenny Pohto misses two point layup
12:53		Justin Rochelin defensive rebound
12:39	+3	Nordin Kapic makes three point jump shot (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones assists)	32-46
12:15		Gauchos 30 second timeout
12:15	+2	Kenny Pohto makes two point layup (Jason Fontenet II assists)	34-46
12:13		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones shooting foul (Kenny Pohto draws the foul)
12:13		Kenny Pohto misses regular free throw 1 of 1
12:13		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones defensive rebound
12:03	+2	Hayden Gray makes two point layup (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones assists)	34-48
11:42		Jason Fontenet II misses two point jump shot
11:40		Gauchos offensive rebound
11:39		Nordin Kapic personal foul
11:39		TV timeout
11:39	+1	Kenny Pohto makes regular free throw 1 of 2	35-48
11:39	+1	Kenny Pohto makes regular free throw 2 of 2	36-48
11:24		Colin Smith misses three point jump shot
11:22		Hayden Gray defensive rebound
11:02	+2	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes two point layup	36-50
10:41		Cole Anderson misses three point jump shot
10:39		Jason Fontenet II offensive rebound
10:32		Stephan Swenson misses three point jump shot
10:31		Tritons defensive rebound
10:16		Hayden Gray misses three point jump shot
10:14		Chris Howell offensive rebound
10:03		Chris Howell misses three point jump shot
10:01		Kenny Pohto defensive rebound
9:50	+2	Ben Shtolzberg makes two point jump shot	38-50
9:33		Nordin Kapic misses three point jump shot
9:31		Stephan Swenson defensive rebound
9:13	+2	Ben Shtolzberg makes two point layup (Kenny Pohto assists)	40-50
8:53		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones turnover (bad pass) (Stephan Swenson steals)
8:44		Ben Shtolzberg misses two point jump shot
8:42		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones defensive rebound
8:28	+2	Hayden Gray makes two point layup	40-52
8:26		Tritons 30 second timeout
8:26		TV timeout
8:10		Ben Shtolzberg misses two point layup
8:08		Gauchos offensive rebound
8:04		Chris Howell personal foul (Jason Fontenet II draws the foul)
8:04		Jason Fontenet II misses regular free throw 1 of 1
8:04		Chris Howell defensive rebound
7:46		Tyler McGhie misses three point jump shot
7:42		Jason Fontenet II defensive rebound
7:27		Chris Howell personal foul (Kenny Pohto draws the foul)
7:27	+1	Kenny Pohto makes regular free throw 1 of 2	41-52
7:27	+1	Kenny Pohto makes regular free throw 2 of 2	42-52
7:08	+2	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes two point layup	42-54
6:49		Justin Rochelin shooting foul (Colin Smith draws the foul)
6:49	+1	Colin Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-54
6:49	+1	Colin Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-54
6:38		Nordin Kapic turnover (lost ball)
6:38		Nordin Kapic personal foul (Stephan Swenson draws the foul)
6:38	+1	Stephan Swenson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	45-54
6:38		Stephan Swenson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
6:38		Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones defensive rebound
6:25	+2	Nordin Kapic makes two point layup (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones assists)	45-56
6:11		Cole Anderson misses three point jump shot
6:09		Hayden Gray defensive rebound
5:51		Hayden Gray misses three point jump shot
5:49		Max Murrell defensive rebound
5:32		Cole Anderson misses two point layup
5:30		Ariel Bland offensive rebound
5:26		Max Murrell misses three point jump shot
5:24		Justin Rochelin defensive rebound
5:09	+2	Hayden Gray makes two point layup (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones assists)	45-58
5:03		Gauchos 30 second timeout
4:46		Colin Smith misses two point layup
4:44		Nordin Kapic defensive rebound
4:20		Kenny Pohto shooting foul (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones draws the foul)
4:20	+1	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2	45-59
4:20	+1	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2	45-60
4:02		Ben Shtolzberg misses two point layup
4:00		Ben Shtolzberg offensive rebound
3:56	+2	Ben Shtolzberg makes two point layup	47-60
3:51		Official timeout
3:51		TV timeout
3:31		Ariel Bland personal foul (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones draws the foul)
3:31	+1	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2	47-61
3:31	+1	Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2	47-62
3:10		Stephan Swenson misses three point jump shot
3:08		Tyler McGhie defensive rebound
2:43	+3	Nordin Kapic makes three point jump shot (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones assists)	47-65
2:26		Colin Smith turnover (lost ball) (Hayden Gray steals)
1:59		Tyler McGhie misses two point jump shot
1:57		Colin Smith defensive rebound
1:56		Chris Howell personal foul (Colin Smith draws the foul)
1:56	+1	Colin Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-65
1:56	+1	Colin Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2	49-65
1:47	+2	Justin Rochelin makes two point dunk (Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones assists)	49-67
1:41		Ben Shtolzberg misses three point jump shot
1:39		Justin Rochelin defensive rebound
1:12		Ariel Bland blocks Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones's two point layup
1:10		Cole Anderson defensive rebound
1:01		Stephan Swenson misses three point jump shot
0:59		Tyler McGhie defensive rebound
0:59		Ben Shtolzberg personal foul (Tyler McGhie draws the foul)
0:59	+1	Tyler McGhie makes regular free throw 1 of 2	49-68
0:59	+1	Tyler McGhie makes regular free throw 2 of 2	49-69
0:48		Maximo Milovich blocks Ben Shtolzberg's two point layup
0:47		Gauchos offensive rebound
0:47		Maximo Milovich technical foul
0:47	+1	Ben Shtolzberg makes technical free throw 1 of 2	50-69
0:47	+1	Ben Shtolzberg makes technical free throw 2 of 2	51-69
0:37		Koat Keat Tong misses three point jump shot
0:35		Aidan Burke defensive rebound
0:22		Cade Pendleton misses three point jump shot
0:20		Koat Keat Tong defensive rebound
0:12		Zion Sensley misses three point jump shot
0:10		Maximo Milovich defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Maximo Milovich defensive rebound