Worth the replay?

Friday, December 19'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
    TulsaatWestern KY
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    B+
    74/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback19/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 99 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 74

  2. #2
    San DiegoatUC San Diego
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback
    B+
    68/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback18/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

  3. #3
    Seton HallatProvidence
    CBB· FS1Down to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    67/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

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

  4. #4
    WashingtonatSeattle U
    CBB· ESPN2Down to the wireBig comeback
    B
    64/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback15/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

  5. #5
    S Dakota StatMilwaukee
    CBBDown to the wireBack and forth
    B
    64/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

  6. #6
    WisconsinatVillanova
    CBB· FoxOvertimeDown to the wire
    B
    57/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback2/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 76 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57

  7. #7
    GramblingatHampton
    CBB· ESPNU
    D
    26/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension11/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

  8. #8
    BelmontatUC Irvine
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    24/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24

  9. #9
    Mount St MarysatDrexel
    CBB
    D
    22/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension10/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

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

  10. #10
    DartmouthatSacred Heart
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    17/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension4/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

  11. #11
    Florida A&MatTarleton St
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

  12. #12
    Brewton ParkeratSC State
    CBBOne-sided
    D
    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension10/30
    Swings2/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

  13. #13
    Cal PolyatUCLA
    CBB· BTNBack and forthOne-sided
    D
    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension5/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11

  14. #14
    Abilene ChrstnatBYU
    CBB· TNT/truTVOne-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension10/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

  15. #15
    Norfolk StatJackson St
    CBB· ESPNUOne-sided
    D
    5/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings4/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  16. #16
    FAUatSaint Mary's
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    4/100
    ▸ 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) = 4

  17. #17
    La SalleatHigh Point
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    3/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension4/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3

  18. #18
    SE LouisianaatLSU
    CBB· SECN+One-sided
    D
    1/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 1 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 1

  19. #19
    ReinhardtatSamford
    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. #20
    LehmanatFDU
    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

  21. #21
    La SierraatCSU Northridge
    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

  22. #22
    Coppin StatNavy
    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

  23. #23
    Notre Dame MDatTowson
    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

  24. #24
    Miss Valley StatFlorida St
    CBB· ACCNXOne-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

  25. #25
    E MichiganatAkron
    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

  26. #26
    Alcorn StatBaylor
    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
    North AlabamaatLMU
    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
    Morgan StatCalifornia
    CBB· ACCNXOne-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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