Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Robert MorrisatGreen Bay

   CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   73/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73

2. #2

   Long Beach StatSanta Barbara

   CBB· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

3. #3

   Cal PolyatFullerton

   CBB· ESPN+

   B

   56/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension28/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 56

4. #4

   RideratMerrimack

   CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth

   C+

   52/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52

5. #5

   UC DavisatHawai'i

   CBB· ESPN+

   C

   41/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 55 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 41

6. #6

   BakersfieldatCSU Northridge

   CBB· ESPN+

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22

7. #7

   Utah StateatSouth Florida

   CBB· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

8. #8

   UC RiversideatUC Irvine

   CBB· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   5/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings0/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5

9. #9

   The CitadelatDavidson

   CBB· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   2/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension2/30

   Swings0/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 2 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2

10. #10

    ManoratFDU

    CBBOne-sided

    D

    0/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings0/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 0

11. #11

    Warren WilsonatCharleston So

    CBB· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    0/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings0/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 0

Ranked from each game's win probability as it was played (ESPN's for football and basketball; ours, from the goals, for hockey): how in doubt it was near the end, how far the winner came back from, how late it was decided, how big its momentum swings were and how often a team erased a deficit, with a bonus for overtime. That drama is then weighted by how good a matchup it was going in (its pre-game Watchability score), so a thriller between top teams ranks above an equally wild game between minor ones.