MESA, Ariz. – Hope International men's basketball improved to 20-4 overall with an 83-66 win over Benedictine Mesa on Saturday, riding a season-high 27-point effort from senior Nick Hopkins and 20 off the bench by freshman Aman Haynes.

The Royals captured their fourth straight 20-win season and 11th in the 17-year tenure of head coach Bill Czech. 

Hopkins added 10 rebounds to secure his second double-double of the season. He made 8 of 13 floor shots and 11 of 16 free throws. His aggressive style of play has earned him 35 free throw attempts over the last two games.

Jorren Edmonds and CJ Fisher scored 11 points apiece.

The Royals shot 50.9 (29 of 57) percent from the field overall and 44.4 (8 of 18) percent from distance.

The Redhawks were 24 of 64 from the floor and made eight threes as well, but on 30 attempts.

HIU won the battle of the boards, 42-31, and held a 17-6 advantage in second chance points.

HIU took a 40-29 lead into the locker room at halftime, and the advantage hovered between seven and 13 points for the first seven minutes of the second half. The Royals began to pull away as a Haynes jumper and Edmonds triple opened up a 60-42 lead with 11:16 to go.

The Redhawks utilized a 19-8 run to pull within eight, as a Malik Payton three-pointer cut the deficit to 69-61 with 7:08 to play. But BENU managed just five points the rest of the way, hitting just two of its final 12 field goal attempts.

HIU finished the game on a 14-5 run.

Hopkins scored 14 points and Haynes added 11 in the first half as HIU built the 11-point halftime lead. The score was tied at 27-27, but the Royals outscored the Redhawks 13-2 over the final six minutes, getting five points from Hopkins.

The 14th-ranked Royals return home to battle No. 7 Arizona Christian on Thursday, February 12 at 7:30 p.m.