HOUSTON (AP) — Houston had one of its best offensive nights of the season. Coach Kelvin Sampson was more impressed with his team’s intensity and defense.

Armoni Brooks scored 17 points, Corey Davis Jr. added 12 and No. 17 Houston hit 16 three-pointers while beating East Carolina 94-50 on Wednesday.

Brooks and Davis combined to hit nine three-pointers while the Cougars (19-1, 6-1 American Athletic Conference) finished 16 of 24 from behind the arc.

“We shot the ball well tonight, but look at who was shooting them,” Sampson said. “Armoni Brooks is an outstanding shooter. Corey is an outstanding shooter. I thought Corey and Armoni and (Galen Robinson Jr.’s) defense and attention to detail tonight was outstanding.”

The Cougars entered the game second in the nation in field goal percentage defense, third in three-point field goal percentage defense and eighth in scoring defense. They held the Pirates to 32 percent shooting and 2 of 22 on three-pointers.

“We are a good defensive team,” Sampson said.

Nate Hinton had 13 points, Cedrick Alley scored 12 and Fabian White Jr. had 11.

Houston, which won its fourth straight, shot 52 percent from the field while extending its home winning streak to 30 games.

“We are all extremely confident in one another,” Brooks said.

Seth Leday had 12 points and Isaac Fleming added 11 for ECU (8-10, 1-5). Jayden Gardner, who came into the game leading the American in scoring with 19.8 points per game, finished with eight points for the Pirates. ECU has lost four straight.

“They’re hard to beat when they don’t shoot the ball well, and when they shoot it like that, it’s just a double-edged sword,” ECU coach Joe Dooley said.

After Fleming’s layup with 8½ minutes left cut Houston’s lead to 21-15, the Cougars went on a 26-9 run over the next eight minutes to take a 47-24 lead on Robinson’s three-pointer with 1½ minutes left in the half. Houston made six straight three-pointers during the run.

The Cougars led 49-26 at the half.

TCU 65, Texas 61

FORT WORTH (AP) — Desmond Bane and the TCU Horned Frogs have figured out the home formula in the Big 12. Now it’s time to work on the road part.

Bane scored 17 points, Kouat Noi had his first career double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds after missing a game with an illness and TCU beat Texas 65-61 on Wednesday night.

Freshman Kevin Samuel matched his season high with 13 rebounds as the Horned Frogs (14-4, 3-3) won their seventh straight Big 12 home game going back to last season. It’s the longest home conference winning streak in 18 years for TCU, which is 0-3 on the road in league play.

“If we want to do what we want to do, it’s going to be very important,” Bane, who had seven rebounds, said of getting road victories. “Going into these road environments, it’s tough. But I’m sure down the road we’re going to be able to get some wins on the road.”

Noi secured his first double-double with his 10th rebound on the offensive end with TCU ahead by two with less than six minutes remaining, leading to a pair of free throws from JD Miller.

Bane pushed the lead to eight at 62-54 with two nifty layups, including a sprawling reverse that glanced high off the glass and energized a late-arriving sellout crowd because of an early tipoff.

Kerwin Roach II scored 15 points for the Longhorns (11-8, 3-4), who couldn’t follow up on a home win over then-No. 20 Oklahoma and dropped back below .500 in league play. Freshman Jaxson Hayes had a season-high five blocks for the second straight game.

SAM HOUSTON STATE 78, NORTHWESTERN STATE 64

NATCHITOCHES, La. (AP) — R.J. Smith scored 16 points with four 3-pointers, Cameron Delaney added 15 with three 3s and Sam Houston State hit a season-high 14 threes to beat Northwestern State 78-64 on Wednesday night to win its seventh straight and remain unbeaten in Southland Conference play.

Marcus Harris hit four threes for 12 points and Josh Delaney added 10 points for the Bearkats (11-8, 6-0), who held the Demons to 3 of 28 three-pointers.

DeAndre Love hit the Demons’ first 3-pointer in 18 tries and Northwestern State cut the Bearkats’ lead to 53-43 with 13:17 to play, but Harris and Smith each hit 3s and Sam Houston State pulled ahead 75-59 on Harris’ fourth 3 with 3:13 to go.

Zach Nutall’s 3 put the Bearkats up 14-10, Smith scored eight in a 12-3 run and Cameron Delaney’s layup gave Sam Houston State a 41-30 halftime lead after they hit 5 of 13 threes to the Demons’ 0 of 13.

Ishmael Lane led Northwestern State (7-12, 2-4) with 19 points and 19 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards.