Tiara Young scored career-high 26 points in UH women’s basketball’s win over Wichita State to advance to the American Athletic Conference Tournament championship game. | Andy Hancock/AAC

Houston woman’s basketball is one win away from earning an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament, beating Wichita State 72-64 on Wednesday afternoon behind Tiara Young’s career-high 26 points to advance to the American Athletic Conference Tournament championship game.

After Wichita State took a 53-51 lead early in the fourth quarter, Young scored eight consecutive points as part of a 13-0 UH run that the Cougars used to pull away and secure the victory.

The Cougars will face the winner of Memphis and East Carolina in the title game on Thursday night.

Junior guard Laila Blair came out hot, scoring 11 first-quarter points. Blair finished with 19 points.

UH went on a 10-3 run to end the quarter, holding a 23-17 after the game’s first 10 minutes.

The Shockers used a 13-4 run to take the lead in the second quarter. The Cougars responded by closing the quarter with a 4-0 run to take a 34-32 into the half.

Britney Onyeje added 13 points.

The Cougar bench scored 29 points.

sports@thedailycougar.com

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“UH women’s basketball advances to AAC Tournament title game” was originally posted on The Cougar