Sophomore Bryce Cotton scored a career-high 34 points and Providence came back from an eight-point deficit in the second half to defeat visiting Bryant 72-61 on Saturday

The Friars (9-2) trailed 56-49 with 6:54 remaining, but scored the game’s next 19 points to survive the scare.

LaDontae Henton registered 13 points and 12 rebounds and Gerard Coleman added 13 points for Providence. The Friars, who came in shooting 66 percent from the free throw line, made 22 of 24 Saturday. Cotton was 10-for-10 at the line.

Alex Francis recorded 17 points and 13 rebounds to lead Bryant (1-9), which fell to 0-13 all time against Big East teams. The Bulldogs have lost eight straight.

Bryant, in its fourth and final season of the Division I transition period, used a 17-6 run to take a 25-19 lead with 4:26 left in the first half. Cotton had seven of his 20 first-half points after that to bring the Friars within 30-29 at halftime.

Francis led the way with 10 points and five rebounds for Bryant, which held Providence to 38.5 percent shooting the first 20 minutes.

Providence improved to 4-0 against Bryant and 51-13 against Northeast Conference teams. The Friars have won 18 straight non-conference home games.