Through two games, Oklahoma has formed an identity. The offense comes in spurts, but they’re showing the defensive tenacity of a badger. Friday night at Lloyd Noble Center it tore into Texas-San Antonio and didn’t let go. The 96-44 OU victory didn’t seem that close.

For the Roadrunners (1-1), this had to feel like traveling 450 miles north to experience a two-hour bubble drill. What else could it feel like? Putting up 66 shots and seeing 15 of them fall has to be more miserable than it looked. And it looked pretty darn miserable.

The identity OU coach Porter Moser wants to construct centers on a team that may get hot from the field but will douse an opponent’s fire.

“I feel good about it,” Moser said about a defensive effort that held UTSA to 22.7-percent shooting (15 for 66) and under 20 points for the initial 28 minutes on Friday. “I want the guys to feel better about it than I do. Something we talk about is defense creating offense. When we were guarding well it was leading to us getting out and running more. We want to get out and run more, space it, and shoot more 3s.”

The Sooners (2-0) did those things on Friday. Center Tanner Groves scored 21 points and was one of four Sooners in double digits. Guard Umoja Gibson scored 10 points. Elijah Harkless tossed in 10 and Marvin Johnson tacked on 10 in just nine minutes off the bench.

The offensive statistics were good. OU shot 58.2 percent from the field (39-for-67) and went 11 for 26 from 3-point range. But it was about the relentless pressure the Sooners applied to UTSA.

“Our defense creating offense is gonna be the key to us winning games,” point guard Jordan Goldwire said after dishing out five assists.

Friday night OU provided a blueprint.

Noland steps up

Freshman guard C.J. Noland took a big step in his second career game. He scored 8 points in just 16 minutes on the floor. The freshman was 4 for 4 from the field and added 4 rebounds and a blocked shot.

“I thought today was able to get everything into the game — assists, scoring, rebounding and transition,” Noland said. “I felt like it was a pretty solid game. I feel the whole team did a little bit of everything and it made everyone look better.”

The 6-foot-2, 229-pound Noland is carving out a niche as a guard that will attack the basket and battle for rebounds.

Rebounds pile up

Rebounding was a bit of an issue in the season-opening victory against Northwestern State. Friday night things were different. OU dominated the glass, outrebounding the Roadrunners 52-32.

“You can’t be a great defensive team if you’re not rebounding,” Moser said. “It is the admission ticket to the fast break.”

The boxscore said OU scored 16 points in transition, but it seemed like more. Their offense picked up in the second half because they were able to get rebounds and consistently get up shots for UTSA could set up its defense. The rebounding was the key.

Notes

* The Sooners got a visit from current Sacramento King and 2016 Naismith Award winner Buddy Hield before Friday’s game. The Kings were in Oklahoma City to face the Thunder Friday night.

“It was great,” Noland said. “He came out and shot around with us for a few minutes. He did have some advice. He told us coach Moser is a great coach and do what he tells us to do and we’ll be fine. He wants us to get back to the Final Four and win it.”

* OU (2-0) hits the road for the first time to face East Carolina at 6 p.m. Thursday at the HTC Center in Conway, S.C.

Quotable

“You have to be chasing your best self right now. You have to scout and have confident respect for every opponent. But you have to really be chasing your best self right now and that’s what we’ve talked about with our guys.” — Moser on the emphasis in early-season games.