What’s a basketball game without the fans? Spokane is about to find out.

The news hit Wednesday afternoon, less than 24 hours after thousands of Gonzaga fans had celebrated another West Coast Conference Tournament men’s basketball championship.

Next up is the NCAA Tournament, with the GU men expecting to open March Madness in the Spokane Arena and the women likely to host first- and second-round games at the McCarthey Athletic Center.

The games will go on, but that home-court advantage won’t have the same sound to it after the NCAA announced all men’s and women’s tournament games will be conducted without fans in hopes of slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Attendance will be restricted to essential staff and family members.

Greg Lipsker of Spokane learned of the NCAA’s decision via an email on his phone just before boarding a flight Wednesday from Las Vegas.

“I was so disappointed,” said Lipsker, who has season tickets to the men’s and women’s games.

“Watching the games down in Las Vegas with the support that Gonzaga fans give the team, there’s just electricity in the air and that has to translate to the players,” Lipsker said in Portland while waiting for a connecting flight to Spokane.

“It’s disappointing,” Lipsker said. “I don’t know much about health issues, but it seems to me there might be a little overreaction. But at the same time, we have to protect our players also.”

Sitting nearby at Portland International Airport, GU fans Lowell and Kathleen Ruen had the same mixed reaction.

“We’re devastated,” Lowell Ruen said. “Vegas was as clean as you can have a tournament. I’m a little concerned that they jumped a little too quick on this cancellation.”

“I feel bad for us, but I really feel bad for the kids,” Kathleen Ruen said. “It’s been their focus all year.”

That much was clear Tuesday night at the Orleans Arena.

Coach Mark Few pulled off his customary handstand after a big win, his clothes drenched from players dousing him with water bottles and a Gatorade bucket.

The second-ranked Zags savored an 84-66 win over Saint Mary’s while eagerly awaiting what was coming next: likely the top seed in the West and spending the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament at the Spokane Arena.

The carrot of playing in front of thousands of Zags’ fans at the Arena was “good motivation” throughout the season, senior forward Killian Tillie said Tuesday night.

“The city is going to go crazy, I know that for sure. And I’m excited to see all the fans. It’s going to be a great advantage for us.”

The GU men players and coaches weren’t available for comment Wednesday, but GU women’s coach Lisa Fortier was disappointed.

“This is insane,” Fortier posted on Twitter

For most of the season, the 12th-ranked GU women have been chasing the chance to host NCAA Tournament games.

Even after a one-point loss to Portland in the WCC semifinals on Monday night, the Zags were predicted by most experts to play at home next weekend.

When reached later, Fortier was more circumspect.

“I have a tremendous amount of empathy for the people who have to make difficult and dramatic decisions regarding public safety,” Fortier said. “At the same time this is a huge disappointment for our supporters, our staff and, most importantly, our student-athletes.

“The opportunity to play in front of our fans is one of the great experiences our players can ever have.”

At the Portland airport, fans were trying to look at the bigger picture.

“I understand what they’re trying to prevent, and I get that and I guess I can appreciate it,” said Tom Tripp, who has been a GU season-ticket holder for the last nine years.

“You see a lot of statistics running around about more flu deaths than the coronavirus at this point, but we’re seeing the start of it instead of the tail end,” Tripp said.

Lipsker already had a backup plan, as he wasn’t able to get tickets for NCAA Tournament games at the Arena.

“We’re going to do game day at the winery. We have a 10-foot screen,” said Lipsker, who owns Barrister Winery in downtown Spokane. “We’re going to open it to the public to have folks come down and root on the Zags.”