Down two to the University of Loyola-Chicago with 1:49 remaining in the game, freshman guard Joey Miller and red-shirt junior forward James Hollowell forgot about scoring the conventional way, as Miller threw a perfectly timed ally-oop pass to Hollowell who dunked the ball, tying the game at 60.

The crowd roared as the ball went through the hoop. One could feel the momentum significantly shift towards the side of Eastern’s men’s basketball team.

Joey Miller said he was just trying to make a play when he threw the pass to Hollowell.

“I was just throwing it up there so he could catch it and dunk it or lay it in,” Joey Miller said. “(Hollowell) had the better look, he had a little guy on him so I just threw it.”

But Joey Miller wasn’t done there. After senior guard L.C. Doss drew a charge on the Loyola’s next possession, Joey Miller was fouled as he drained a running jump shot on the baseline. He would make the free throw giving the Panthers a 63-60 lead.

Loyola would score only one more point on a free throw by sophomore guard Denzel Brito. Hollowell would then hit two free throws to put the game out of reach as Eastern won its home opener 65-61.

The Panthers started the game off slow, giving up open shots and shooting poorly. They found themselves in an early hole, down 19-26 with a little over seven minutes remaining in the first half.

Eastern would then go on a 20-6 run to end the half up 39-32. The Panther would score the first two points of the second half; however, they would start this half slow as well.

The Ramblers went on 19-5 run to lead 51-46 with 11 minutes and 46 seconds remaining in the game. Eastern would bounce back with a 7-0 run of its own to grab a 53-51 lead with eight minutes remaining.

The game would go back and forth from that point on until the pivotal alley-oop.

Sophomore forward Alfonzo McKinnie led the Panthers with 13 points. He also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and blocked four shots.

McKinnie said the team played well and came up with a big win against a good opponent.

“It’s definitely a confidence boost,” McKinnie said. “But, we still have to take it day-by-day.”

The Panthers got a big boost from their bench as the reserves outscored Loyola’s bench 23-to-3.

Head coach Mike Miller said the team’s depth will be its strong point this season.

“I think we are going to have to play a lot of people,” Miller said. “I think that is what are strength is going to be. We are going to try to wear you down.”

The Panthers return to action Sunday against in-state rival Northern Illinois. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Rob Mortell can be reached at 581-7944 or at rdmortell@eiu.edu.