(6) OKLAHOMA 72, (11) SAINT JOSEPHS 64 -------------------------------------- BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Ticker) -- David Godbold was not ready for his career to end.

Godbold scored a career-high 25 points to lead sixth-seeded Oklahoma to a 72-64 victory over St. Joseph's in a first-round East Regional game of the NCAA Tournament.

Longar Longar added 14 points for the Sooners (23-11), who built a 19-point lead and held off a furious comeback by the Hawks.

Oklahoma will face the winner of Louisville-Boise State in a second-round game Sunday.

Godbold, who entered the tournament averaging 6.9 points and had scored in double figures just once in his last 11 games, singlehandedly put 11th seed St. Joseph's (21-13) in a huge hole.

The senior guard scored 11 points, including three 3-pointers, in the first 2:45 of the second half to carry the Sooners to a commanding 45-26 lead.

After a 16-4 run by St. Joseph's whittled the lead to 56-49, Godbold buried his fifth 3-pointer to restore the margin to double digits with 5:54 to play.

The Hawks kept coming and twice got within four points - the final time on a layup by Ahmad Nivins with 3 1/2 minutes remaining.

But freshman Blake Griffin scored back-to-back baskets to extend the lead to 69-61 with 2:00 remaining and Oklahoma held on the rest of the way.

Rob Ferguson scored 21 points for St. Joseph's, which was hurt by a dismal performance from leading scorer Pat Calathes, who had just six points on 2-of-11 shooting.

Griffin finished with 12 points for the Sooners, who shot 57 percent (24-of-42) from the floor.

Despite Calathes going scoreless in the first half, St. Joseph's grabbed a 19-16 lead on Ferguson's jumper from the corner with 8:00 left.

Ferguson, who had 11 points at the time, went to the bench shortly thereafter, and the Sooners capitalized.

Oklahoma closed the half with an 18-3 run, capped by Griffin's jumper with five seconds to go, to take a 34-22 lead into the locker room.