SAN DIEGO — UC San Diego triumphed over Pepperdine with a convincing score of 94-76 on Saturday, bolstered by Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones, who contributed 25 points to the Tritons’ win.

Tait-Jones also recorded five assists in the game as UCSD’s record improved to 1-1. Tyler McGhie had a noteworthy performance, scoring 20 points with a shooting efficiency of 6 for 15 overall, including an impressive 5 for 11 from beyond the arc, while also sinking all three of his free throws. Hayden Gray added to the Tritons’ points tally with 14, shooting 5 for 11 from the field, which included one successful three-pointer, and went 3 for 4 from the free-throw line.

On the opposing side, the Waves (1-1) saw standout performances from Stefan Todorovic, who dominated the court with 33 points and collected six rebounds. Dovydas Butka chipped in with 11 points and seven rebounds, while Zion Bethea rounded out the scoring with 10 points.

The Tritons took an early lead, establishing dominance just 16 minutes into the first half, and they maintained that advantage throughout the game. At halftime, the score was 47-32, thanks in part to McGhie’s efforts, as he contributed 14 points before the break. In the second half, Tait-Jones kept the momentum going, adding 15 points and helping UCSD maintain their lead, as they outscored Pepperdine by three points in the latter half, ultimately clinching a solid victory.