BOWIE, Md. — Fayetteville State showed resilience in its season opener Friday, erasing an eight-point deficit in the final five minutes to knock off West Chester 83-80 at the Bowie State Tipoff Classic.

Larry Howell scored a game-high 24 points and Romeo Aquino added 21 with 10 rebounds as the Broncos (1-0) overcame a shaky start and a hostile environment at A.C. Jordan Arena.

"This was a gutsy win," head coach Devin Hoehn said. "We didn't panic when we were down late. Our guys trusted each other, locked in defensively, and made big plays when it mattered."

Fayetteville State trailed 41-31 late in the first half before a 6-0 run capped by a Howell bucket trimmed the margin to 41-37. The Broncos entered halftime down 50-46 and watched West Chester push its lead to 74-66 with under five minutes remaining.

That's when the game flipped.

The Broncos ripped off a 10-0 run fueled by Howell and Aquino, taking their first lead since the opening minutes at 76-74 with 2:43 left. From there, Fayetteville State controlled the tempo and sealed the win at the free-throw line, hitting 16 of 20 in the second half.

Aquino's double-double included three blocks, while Travon Cooper added seven points, four assists and four blocks. The Broncos finished with nine blocks and forced 17 turnovers, holding the Golden Rams to 38.1% shooting.

"Our defense was the difference," Hoehn said. "We challenged shots, we protected the rim, and we turned stops into points. That's who we want to be."

Fayetteville State shot 47.1% from the field and got 24 points from its bench. Howell went 8-of-16 and 8-of-9 from the line, while Aquino converted nine free throws and anchored the glass.

Dinari Boykin led West Chester (0-1) with 17 points. Gabe Moss added 10 points and eight rebounds.

Fayetteville State continues play in the Tipoff Classic on Saturday against No. 22 Gannon at 1 p.m. in Bowie, Md.