LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego newcomer Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones was voted Big West Men's Basketball Player of the Week as announced by the conference office on Monday afternoon. Playing his first two games as a Triton, the junior transfer finished one assist shy over a triple-double in UC San Diego's opener, then followed that up with a 21-point night in a win over USD.
 
Tait-Jones scored 14 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out nine assists with only three turnovers in UC San Diego's win over Denver. He followed that up with a 21-point, eight rebound, four assist effort in Saturday's win over San Diego, connecting on 8-of-11 field goal tries as UC San Diego won its 800th game in program history. Through two games as a Triton, the native of New Zealand is averaging 17.5 points, nine rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game (which leads The Big West). The Tritons have started 2-0 in three of their four Division I seasons.
 
Tait-Jones is the second UC San Diego men's basketball player to earn Big West Player of the Week honors in the program's brief Division I history. Toni Rocak was recognized twice in the 2021-22 season.

UC San Diego is back in action Monday night vs. La Verne at LionTree Arena in La Jolla. Tip-off is scheduled for just after 7 p.m. PT.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.