Worth the replay?

Friday, December 5's games ranked by how good they turned out to be: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime. No scores, no winners, so you can decide what to watch without spoilers.

Best games of the season →

#1
Notre DameatTCU
CBB· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
A
75/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback17/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75
#2
MercyhurstatLafayette
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
B+
67/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings24/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67
#3
South AlabamaatETSU
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
B+
67/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67
#4
Mount St MarysatMarist
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
B+
66/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback11/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 88 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66
#5
UABatDrake
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
B
62/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings19/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62
#6
CincinnatiatXavier
CBB· TNTDown to the wireBack and forth
B
62/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings23/25
Comeback5/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62
#7
FairfieldatManhattan
CBB· ESPN+
D
28/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings13/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28
#8
QuinnipiacatIona
CBB· ESPN+
D
28/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension3/30
Swings20/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28
#9
CanisiusatSaint Peter's
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
16/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings14/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16
#10
SamfordatVCU
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
11/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11
#11
Lewis & ClarkatPortland
CBBOne-sided
D
7/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension2/30
Swings0/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7
#12
BryantatBrown
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
7/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7
#13
San DiegoatSan José St
CBBOne-sided
D
6/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension4/30
Swings4/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6
#14
GonzagaatKentucky
CBB· ESPN2One-sided
D
6/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings7/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6
#15
NJITatHigh Point
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
3/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings0/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3
#16
East Texas A&MatUConn
CBB· Peacock/NBCSNOne-sided
D
2/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings0/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2
#17
ChristendomatVMI
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
2/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings0/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2
#18
SC StateatBethune
CBBOne-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
#19
NiagaraatSiena
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
#20
ClearyatE Michigan
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
#21
N'Western StatMcNeese
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.