Providence 64, NJIT 63: LaDontae Henton scored 24 points and Bryce Cotton hit the go-ahead free throw with five seconds to play as the host Friars avoided a stunning upset.

Cotton scored 13 of his 21 points in the second half and accounted for the only points in the final four minutes, hitting a tying free throw with 2:19 left before sinking the game-winner to lift Providence (1-0).

Chris Flores scored a game-high 28 points and led a furious rally by the Highlanders (0-1), who stormed back to take the lead and held the Friars without a field goal for the final 7:07.

Providence led 60-52 after Cotton's layup with 7:07 left, but Flores scored eight points in an 11-2 run and buried a 3-pointer to make it 63-62 with 4:17 to play. NJIT went scoreless the rest of the way.

The Friars trailed for most of the first half before Henton capped a personal 7-0 run with a dunk off an alley-oop, giving him 18 points and the Friars a 30-27 lead en route to a 32-29 edge at the break.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Sophomore Henton had his fifth career 20-point game and matched the second-highest total of his career. ... Terrence Smith had 10 rebounds to help the Highlanders hold their own on the boards, with Providence holding a 37-36 edge. ... Both Cotton (hand) and Kadeem Batts (10 points, eight rebounds) were in the starting lineup despite pregame concerns about their availability due to injuries.