Worth the replay?

Thursday, December 18'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. #1
    SIUEatE Illinois
    CBB· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    A
    75/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback18/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75

  2. #2
    BradleyatIndiana St
    CBB· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    A
    75/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback14/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75

  3. #3
    WinthropatNorth Dakota
    CBBDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    B+
    73/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback18/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 98 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73

  4. #4
    UT MartinatTennessee St
    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

  5. #5
    PepperdineatLong Beach St
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    67/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback11/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67

  6. #6
    HamptonatJackson St
    CBB· ESPNUDown to the wire
    B
    61/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings22/25
    Comeback13/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61

  7. #7
    FurmanatManhattan
    CBB· ESPN+
    B
    56/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension28/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback4/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

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

  8. #8
    TempleatDavidson
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    C+
    53/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

  9. #9
    Southern UtahatN Arizona
    CBB· ESPN+
    C+
    52/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension25/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback5/20
    Decided late14/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

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

  10. #10
    LouisianaatSouthern Miss
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    C
    44/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late12/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 59 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 44

  11. #11
    RadfordatWilliam & Mary
    CBB
    C
    42/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late8/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42

  12. #12
    Illinois StatS Illinois
    CBB· ESPN+
    C
    42/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension18/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback13/20
    Decided late1/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42

  13. #13
    Little RockatS Indiana
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    31/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension7/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 31

  14. #14
    SE MissouriatTennessee Tech
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    30/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension6/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback11/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 30

  15. #15
    Kansas CityatOklahoma St
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    25/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension12/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late2/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 34 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

  16. #16
    DrakeatMurray St
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    23/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension16/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23

  17. #17
    FairfieldatC Connecticut
    CBBBig comeback
    D
    22/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback14/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22

  18. #18
    CoastalatApp State
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    19/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension8/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

  19. #19
    Norfolk StatGrambling
    CBB· ESPNU
    D
    19/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback9/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

  20. #20
    Georgia StatGA Southern
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    19/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension2/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

  21. #21
    North FloridaatCharleston So
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

  22. #22
    MT WesternatIdaho St
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension4/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

  23. #23
    LafayetteatCharlotte
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings5/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

  24. #24
    PSU HazletonatLehigh
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    5/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension2/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5

  25. #25
    Toccoa FallsatGardner-Webb
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

  26. #26
    W IllinoisatLindenwood
    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

  27. #27
    Oral RobertsatTCU
    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

  28. #28
    W CarolinaatGeorgia
    CBB· SECN+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

  29. #29
    MorrisatUNC Asheville
    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

  30. #30
    AmericanatVCU
    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

  31. #31
    Delaware StatSaint Joseph's
    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

  32. #32
    NobelatBakersfield
    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.

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