Clearwater, Fla. — UConn will watch Monday's NCAA Selection Show with absolutely no anxiety whatsoever.

The Huskies, playing their best baseball of the season, captured the American Athletic Conference tournament championship on Sunday with a 7-2 victory over Houston at Bright House Field.

UConn (37-23), which has won 13 of its last 14 games, earned the AAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Division I tournament and will learn its destination during Monday's selection show (noon, ESPNU).

It was the Huskies' first AAC title and their first conference championship since winning the Big East Conference tournament in its final season in 2013. UConn will be appearing in the NCAA tournament for the 19th time and fourth time in the last seven seasons.

"It's going to be a thrill and doesn't get old," UConn coach Jim Penders said during a postgame interview broadcast on www.uconnhuskies.com. "It's going to be a lot of fun, and we can relax because we know we're in and we know we're going somewhere."

Third-seeded UConn rode the strong left arm of ace Anthony Kay on Sunday. The junior, who went the distance to beat Memphis on Wednesday, dominated the No. 5 Cougars (36-24) despite pitching on only three days rest and despite having to endure a one-hour, three-minute lightning delay in the third inning.

Kay (9-2) pitched six strong innings and departed with a 4-2 lead. Closer Pat Ruotolo did the rest, blanking Houston over the final three innings to earn his 11th saves.

"He's such a strong person and such a strong competitor," Penders said of Kay, who was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. "All we did was pencil him in and he did the rest. He was our best chance to win the game ... our best chance to win the championship.

"He's the most complete pitcher I've ever coached."

Second baseman Aaron Hill, a junior from Fitch, helped the Huskies gain the early advantage. He singled to lead off the third and scored on Bobby Melley's opposite field two-run homer to left. Hill, Melley, Kay, shortstop Bryan Daniello (3-for-4 on Sunday) and outfielder John Toppa were all named to the all-tournament team.

Daniello was 13-for-21 in five games, setting a tournament record for hits while batting .619.

An RBI single by Tyler Gnesda pushed UConn's lead to 3-0 in the fourth and after the Cougars pulled to within 4-2 after seven, the Huskies broke the game open with three runs in the ninth, highlighted by Willy Yahn's RBI triple.

Melley finished 3-for-5 with three RBI for Gnesda, Toppa and Jack Sundberg added two hits each.