When the Yale band was unable to accompany the school's basketball team to Thursday's NCAA Tournament in Jacksonville, the University of North Florida band was ready to swoop to the rescue.

There were no flying pitchers of water in Stephen Putnam's return to March Madness.

No wild, electrically-charged shaking and quaking during the first notes of "Turn Down for What."

He wasn't even, exactly, representing the band he helped make famous during the University of North Florida's one prior visit to the NCAA Tournament.

Instead, UNF's most demonstrative band member was standing along the sidelines of VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in a suit and tie, alongside the rest of his band, instruments in hand.

In Yale shirts.

"We're the Yale of the South," Putnam said.

The tuba-carrying, trumpet-blowing musicians in Ivy League gear were really emergency fill-ins from UNF, cheering on 14th-seeded Yale during the Bulldogs' East Regional first-round loss to LSU on Thursday.

Sometimes, it turns out, Yale doesn't always mean Yale.

"I think about half of the fans don't know we're not from Yale," UNF flutist Rachael Gomez said. "So it's fun."

The Ospreys were notified Tuesday that Yale's band wouldn't be able to make the trip. So rather than take the court without a band, the Connecticut-based school asked to draft UNF's band as a short-term replacement — Ivy Leaguers for a day.

The rescue swoop was accomplished.

"And you know what?" Gomez said. "We're here."

"We didn't hesitate to say yes," Putnam said. "We're very happy to represent Yale."

Representing Yale, right down to the blue sweaters with the letters YALE across the front.

Piccolo player Aidan Reed said the band had only a little over a day to learn the Yale band's music and routines, but come game time, they were ready, Yale shirts and all.

Will they be able to keep the shirts after the week's adventure?

"I hope so," Reed said.

Standing at the head of the temporary Yale band was Putnam, the UNF student who attained campus fame for his water-tossing, body-gyrating performances during "Turn Down for What" as the Ospreys soared to the 2015 NCAA Tournament.

Once UNF's basketball squad got eliminated from the ASun Tournament two weeks ago, Putnam didn't think he would get another chance at March Madness.

Now, he's back — even if only as a Bulldog for a day.

"When we got to the Big Dance during my freshman year, that was really special," Putnam said. "So it's great to be back again."