Birmingham, AL -- (Sports Network) - David Godbold posted a game-high 25 points as Oklahoma held on to top Saint Joseph's, 72-64, in first round action from the East Region of the NCAA Tournament.

"It feels really good," said Godbold of the victory. "I experienced one my freshman year. But then also sophomore year I had a very bad experience, so, I just got to look forward to Sunday.

Longar Longar contributed 14 points and five boards for the Sooners (23-11), who nearly let a 19-point second-half lead evaporate but advanced to face Louisville in the second round on Sunday.

Blake Griffin picked up 12 points and Austin Johnson added 10 and five assists.

Rob Ferguson poured in 21 points for the Hawks (21-13), whose last two NCAA tourney appearances ended with losses to teams from the Sooner state. St. Joseph's fell in a heartbreaker to Oklahoma State in the East Regional final in 2004.

Ahmad Nivins added 14 points and five rebounds, and Darrin Govens hit for 12 points in a valiant losing effort.

"Plain and simple, my team had a great year," said Hawks head coach Phil Martelli. "We got one of six non-BCS bids, we were in, we were out. To be one of the 65 teams selected for the tournament really is a terrific year."

Godbold drained a three to start the second half to put the Sooners ahead 37-22, and the lead quickly ballooned to 19 on his next trey 2:40 in.

However, Pat Calathes and Ferguson hit threes, and Garrett Williamson added a layup as part of a 10-0 burst to get the Hawks within 52-43 just before the midway point of the half.

Longar's layup boosted the Sooners to a 56-45 edge, but Govens banked home a three from the left side and St. Joe's was within seven, 59-52, with 5 1/2 minutes remaining. Tony Crocker made two at the line and both Govens and Nivins sank their chances inside a minute later for a 61-56 contest.

A putback by Nivins pulled the Hawks within 65-61 with 3:29 to play, but a Taylor Griffin tip-in fueled a game-ending 7-3 burst from Oklahoma to wrap up the contest.

"We knew St. Joseph's was going to make a run. They're a very good basketball team," said Oklahoma head coach Jeff Capel. "Our guys never panicked, we stepped up and made plays."

Crocker finished with nine points for the Sooners, who held Calathes, SJU's leading scorer for the season, to just six points on 2-of-11 shooting.

Oklahoma ran off the game's first five points, but Nivins finished off a three-point play a little more than five minutes in and Ferguson nailed a jumper on the next possession to give the Hawks a 13-12 edge.

Ferguson sank a jump shot for a 17-14 Hawks lead with 9:15 left in the half, but St. Joe's was unable to break away by more than three points thereafter. The Sooners then put together a 13-3 run to take a seven-point edge after Blake Griffin's slicing lay-in with 3:07 to play.

Ferguson hit another jumper to break the string, but Oklahoma reeled off seven in a row ending on Blake Griffin's medium-range jumper to head into the break up by 12.

"I think we played faster than would normally be a positive situation for us," Martelli added about his team's flat end to the first half. "We're not a team that should play fast, we should play quick."

Game Notes

It was the first-ever meeting between the schools...Taylor Griffin led all players with seven rebounds...Oklahoma connected on 57.1 percent from the floor (24-of-42), while St. Joseph's hit on 49 percent (24-of-49).