Former Gonzaga great and proud papa Dan Dickau calling tournament games in Portland

PORTLAND – Former Gonzaga great Dan Dickau, longtime announcer on GU’s local and regional telecasts, is calling first- and second-round games in Portland for Westwood One Radio.

Dickau took the last few weeks off from his broadcasting schedule to stay close to home with wife Heather, who was pregnant with their seventh child. Margaret Rose was born last Friday.

“I needed to do that (take some time off), I wanted to do that,” he said, “and everything went really well.”

Dickau’s alarm went off at 3:45 a.m. Wednesday.

“Had to fly through Seattle because all the Zags fans, when I found out my assignment, had booked all the direct flights on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning,” Dickau said.

He estimated this is his sixth or seventh NCAA Tournament with Westwood One. He’ll call all four games Thursday, including Gonzaga-Georgia State, and two games Saturday.

“As a player you kind of had that buildup to play in the NCAA Tournament and it’s similar as a broadcaster,” he said. “You want to be one that’s selected to call the games whether it’s television or radio.”

Dickau arrived at the Moda Center at 10 a.m. Wednesday, met with four head coaches and then sat courtside to watch practice sessions that were scheduled to conclude at 6:20 p.m.

He has a busy few days ahead.

“I’ve already read up on all (eight) teams, now it’s a matter of reading through those teams again and doing what’s called my board, all my prep notes that I want to have handy during the game,” he said. “I’ll be dog tired by the end of Thursday, play-by-play guy Ryan Radtke will probably have lost his voice by the end.

“Friday will be coaches’ interviews, more prep and call both games Saturday.”