COL BKB: Oklahoma 84, Syracuse 71

MEMPHIS, March 27 (UPI) -- Blake Griffin and Tony Crocker teamed for 58 points Friday, leading Oklahoma to a surprisingly easy 84-71 win over Syracuse in the NCAA regional semifinals.

The Sooners, whose hopes for the NCAA title appeared to have been damaged when Griffin suffered a late-season concussion, resembled the team that won 25 of its first 26 games this year.

Oklahoma scored the last six points of the first half and the first seven of the second half, building as much as a 25-point lead.

The second-seeded Sooners will appear in the South Region final Sunday against the winner of Friday night's game between North Carolina and Gonzaga.

The elimination of third-seeded Syracuse removed the possibility that the Big East Conference could take up every berth in the Final Four.

Griffin made 12-of-15 shots from the floor, scored 30 points and hauled in 14 rebounds. Crocker hit six 3-pointers as part of his 28 points and made two of the biggest shots of the game.

Oklahoma (30-5) maintained a narrow lead throughout the first half and the advantage stood at seven points with a minute to go in the period. The Sooners then scored six in a row and Crocker gave Oklahoma a 39-26 advantage at the break by making a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left.

Syracuse (28-10) was held scoreless for the first 2:22 of the second period and Crocker's 3-pointer expanded the Oklahoma cushion to 20 points just 72 seconds after halftime. The Orange missed all 10 of their 3-point tries in the first half.

Jonny Flynn led Syracuse with 22 points.