Worth the replay?

Sunday, January 11'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
NorthwesternatRutgers
CBB· PeacockOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback
A
75/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback19/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Overtime+8
Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75
#2
UABatEast Carolina
CBB· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B+
67/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Overtime+8
Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67
#3
QuinnipiacatSacred Heart
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
B+
65/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings23/25
Comeback12/20
Decided late11/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65
#4
CincinnatiatUCF
CBB· ESPN2Down to the wireBack and forth
B
63/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings23/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63
#5
IU IndyatMilwaukee
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
B
62/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late8/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62
#6
Purdue FWatRobert Morris
CBB· ESPN+
B
59/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings23/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late14/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59
#7
Saint Joseph'satRichmond
CBB· USA NetDown to the wire
B
57/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings20/25
Comeback11/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57
#8
CharlotteatRice
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
B
56/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings17/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 56
#9
Ohio StateatWashington
CBB· Peacock
C+
54/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension28/30
Swings18/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late11/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 72 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 54
#10
N KentuckyatGreen Bay
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
C+
51/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings20/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 67 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 51
#11
SienaatMount St Marys
CBB· ESPN+
C
42/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension29/30
Swings17/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late8/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 55 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42
#12
NiagaraatManhattan
CBB· ESPN+
D
28/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension16/30
Swings16/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late2/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28
#13
MemphisatFAU
CBB· ESPN2
D
23/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension10/30
Swings15/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23
#14
IllinoisatIowa
CBB· Fox
D
23/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension18/30
Swings12/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23
#15
Wright StatOakland
CBB· ESPN2/ESPN+One-sided
D
14/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings9/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14
#16
CanisiusatIona
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
14/100
▸ 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) = 14
#17
North TexasatWichita St
CBB· ESPNUOne-sided
D
12/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension11/30
Swings5/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12
#18
Cleveland StatDetroit Mercy
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
10/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings13/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10
#19
MerrimackatSaint Peter's
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
8/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings7/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8
#20
MaristatRider
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

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.