A remote university in Michigan's Upper Peninsula got a prestigious research designation that will help it recruit and retain faculty and students.

On a brisk Thursday night, right before the start of Spring Break, hundreds of students flocked to the Michigan Theater to escape the stress of midterm exams and projects to jam out with country folk band Flatland Cavalry.

Michigan would go to the Sweet 16 and get bounced by Texas Tech (which also beat MSU in the Final Four), 63-44. At the time, a couple months before the coronavirus pandemic hit, this game had implications for two teams with designs on runs in March.

No. 3 Houston moved up a spot after beating Texas Tech and Cincinnati, while Tennessee climbed to No. 4 following Jahmai Mashack’s last-second 3-pointer from well beyond halfcourt to beat Alabama 79-76. Florida rounded out the top five, dropping two places after losing to Georgia and beating Texas A&M.