FORT WORTH (WSU Athletics) – Wichita State used a 9-0 run in the fourth quarter to turn a close game into a comfortable win, eliminating Tulsa in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Championship, 76-64.

Wichita State (6-11) advances to play the No. 1 seed USF Bulls Tuesday at 2 p.m. on ESPN+.

Asia Strong scored a game and season-high 24 points to go with 12 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. Seraphine Bastin registered her fifth double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while also dishing seven assists. Trajata Colbert just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.

Wichita State grabbed a season-high 53 rebounds on a day when neither team shot the ball particularly well. After turning the ball over 20 times just last week against Tulsa, the Shockers only turned it over 10 times today.

Maya and Wyvette Mayberry scored 13 points apiece for Tulsa, but were a combined 9-of-32 from the field.

Wichita State led by as many as six in the opening quarter and never trailed despite shooting just 32 percent from the field. Ten of Wichita State’s 16 first quarter points came on second chance opportunities thanks to six offensive rebounds.

Defensively, the Shockers held Tulsa to 25 percent from the field.

Tulsa opened the second quarter on a 6-0 run to take its first lead, 20-18, with 6:52 left in the half. The rest of the half would be played within a three-point spread, as the Hurricane led 32-30 at the half.

Wichita State got a huge spark off the bench in Carla Budane. Budane set season highs with six points and four rebounds in 10 first half minutes.

Both teams shot just above the 30 percent mark and converted three three-pointers. Tulsa held the advantage at the charity stripe going 9-of-12, while Wichita State was just 1-of-2.

The entire third quarter was much of the same as the first half, as both teams traded baskets. The largest run was a 6-0 spurt for Wichita State early in the quarter.

With the game tied 50-50 and 8:36 to play in the fourth quarter, Wichita State came out of a timeout and outscored Tulsa 26-14 the rest of the way. A 9-0 run keyed the victory with Strong accounting for four of those points and a Bastin three-point play.

Tulsa clawed back within four with 1:39 to go, but Strong’s three-pointer from the top of the key essentially iced the game. Wichita State stretched the final margin at the free throw line in the final minute.