UC San Diego's Tyler McGhie and Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones are key players for the Tritons' successful season. As a first-year Division I program, they are aiming for the conference title and an NCAA Tournament berth.
Though classes sat silent during the holiday break at UC San Diego, the driving forces behind a 12-2 basketball start faced a pop quiz in the lobby of LionTree Arena. The first question posed to Texas guard Tyler McGhie, the Tritons’ leading scorer: What do you know about New Zealand? “Is that the first time zone?” said McGhie as he peeked at teammate Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones . “I know they have a little beef with Australians. I know they eat Marmite. I’ve tried it before. It’s not that great.
Tait-Jones, a native New Zealander, offered a grade: “He passed for sure, as long as he said we’re better than Australia.”“I know the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Cowboys,” Tait-Jones said. “I know they ride horses and cows in their cowboy boots.” Half credit. Horses, yes, though McGhie’s hometown of Denton is part of the massive Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, more city than country.which is now 13-1 following a win at San Diego State. UC San Diego guard Tyler McGhie celebrates after beating Utah State on Dec. 17 in Logan, Utah. (Eli Lucero/The Herald Journal via AP) They are the offensive hammers for the Tritons, who are trying to make the most noise possible in the first season of conference title and NCAA Tournament eligibility as a full-fledged Division I program. Given the sagging metrics in the bottom half of the Big West Conference, the players probably realize that an at-large NCAA berth is unlikely, no matter how many wins they pile up. That means an all-or-nothing scenario awaits when the conference’s automatic berth is decided this March in Las Vegas. It becomes a matter of being as tournament-ready as possible, beginning with Saturday’s game at Cal State Fullerton. Keep winning, but polish the skills that will serve them best when it matters mos
Basketball NCAA Tournament UC San Diego Tyler Mcghie Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones Big West Conference
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