Gonzaga band helps make Orleans Arena home for Bulldogs

There were three teachers hard at work on the whiteboard during a timeout in the final minute of Monday’s West Coast Conference women’s tournament semifinal game between Gonzaga and Portland at Orleans Arena.

Coach Lisa Fortier was trying to draw up an offensive play with No. 11 Gonzaga owning possession and trailing by a point.

On the other sideline, first-year Portland coach Michael Meek was instructing his defense on trying to get one more stop to secure its upset bid.

Meanwhile, David Fague, the director of jazz studies and the Bulldog Band at Gonzaga, reached for his whiteboard and calmly wrote down a number before holding it up for his squad to see.

Fague has been in this position many times.

“Because of the success of (Gonzaga men’s coach) Mark Few, I have to be the most experienced band director in the country right now, thanks to all those Sweet 16 runs,” said Fague, in his 16th year directing the band.

His charges immediately recognized the number and went to work hyping the crowd with the “I Believe” chant.

Many college pep bands have evolved into extensions of the cheerleaders. Gonzaga is one of the prime examples.

Fague said that is particularly true at the WCC tourney, where his team typically only gets two timeouts to perform, a far cry from the six allotted slots they will get for NCAA Tournament games.

When Gonzaga star Jill Townsend fouled out in the final minutes, Fague cued them up for a “Jill doesn’t make mistakes” chant.

“So we know as far as the conference tournament is concerned, they’re not real into us playing, so we just cheer our butts off,” he said. “I tell the band at this tournament we’re here to cheer. If they let us play, then we play. But we just try to take over and win the cheering.”

It wasn’t quite enough on this day as Haylee Andrews hit a runner in the paint in the closing seconds to lift Portland to a 70-69 upset victory.

The loss meant Fague would have some free time on championship Tuesday at the WCC tournament, a rare occurrence. Gonzaga’s men have played in the championship game every year Fague has been at the helm of the band, including this season as they advanced to their 23rd straight title game with an 81-77 win over San Francisco on Monday.

The women had made three straight finals and 11 of the last 13, meaning the band had two championship games nearly every year.

“It’s all we know,” Fague said of having both teams in the championship games. “I feel bad for (the women’s team,) but they’ll still be in the NCAA Tournament. I know they wanted to win today. We did everything we could to help them.

“I guess tomorrow afternoon I’ll be at the pool during the day instead of a game. I just chase the sun. It’s still very cold up in Spokane.”

Fague’s band, the cheerleaders and rowdy student section have helped make Gonzaga home games at “The Kennel” in Spokane one of the most intimidating environments in all of college basketball.

They travel well enough to create a pretty good replica of the experience each year at the Orleans.

“The excitement is unbelievable, especially knowing we’re so far from home and seeing all these Zag fans here,” Fague said. “It’s such a blast. Having the other bands here and just being able to go back and forth is always fun, too.”

Worst seat in the house

There aren’t any Bob Uecker seats at Orleans Arena, no distant upper-deck vantage points where one would need a telescope to see the action.

But Section 101, Seat 1 on the aisle comes close.

That’s where a Saint Mary’s fan named Martin Splinter was watching torsos in Gonzaga and San Francisco jerseys dribble and defend the baseline during Monday night’s first semifinal.

The angle of the seat and a grate separating the end zone bleachers from the Orleans Arena horseshoe bowl produced a significant restricted view.

“You can’t see the baseline,” said Splinter, giving him much in common with Mountain West official Larry Spaulding.

Spaulding missed a call on the baseline during the Mountain West semifinals at the Thomas &Mack Center so badly that it became an internet meme.

Splinter, a Saint Mary’s grad whose son, Mason, plays in the Gaels’ band, said he was still enjoying the tournament — and that he probably would be enjoying it a lot more had San Francisco upset Gonzaga.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.