Worth the replay?

Sunday, January 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
Wichita StatSouth Florida
CBB· ESPNUOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback
A
75/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback18/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Overtime+8
Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75
#2
Washington StatSan Francisco
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
B+
71/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback15/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 71
#3
RamsatBears
NFL· NBC/PeacockOvertimeDown to the wire
B+
68/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Overtime+8
Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68
#4
SenatorsatRed Wings
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B+
68/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68
#5
FAUatTemple
CBB· ESPNUDown to the wireBack and forth
B
63/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback11/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63
#6
CharlotteatEast Carolina
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
C+
49/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 66 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49
#7
North TexasatTulane
CBB· ESPN2Down to the wire
C+
46/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings17/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late13/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46
#8
RaptorsatLakers
NBA
D
31/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension4/30
Swings19/25
Comeback11/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 41 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 31
#9
Trail BlazersatKings
NBA
D
30/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension16/30
Swings13/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 30
#10
AmericanatArmy
CBB· ESPN+
D
23/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension15/30
Swings13/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23
#11
TexansatPatriots
NFL· ESPN/ABC
D
20/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension4/30
Swings14/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20
#12
LightningatStars
NHL· NHL NetOne-sided
D
18/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings11/25
Comeback5/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18
#13
TulsaatUAB
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
18/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings17/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18
#14
Penn StateatMaryland
CBB· BTNOne-sided
D
15/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings13/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15
#15
OaklandatGreen Bay
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
14/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings14/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14
#16
MagicatGrizzlies
NBA· Prime VideoOne-sided
D
11/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings9/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11
#17
PelicansatRockets
NBAOne-sided
D
11/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension2/30
Swings10/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11
#18
MilwaukeeatPurdue FW
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
10/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings12/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10
#19
BluesatOilers
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
5/100
▸ 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) = 5
#20
HornetsatNuggets
NBAOne-sided
D
5/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings6/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5
#21
NetsatBulls
NBAOne-sided
D
5/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings6/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5
#22
BlackburnatE Illinois
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
#23
Arizona StatHouston
CBB· ESPNOne-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
UTSAatMemphis
CBB· ESPNUOne-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.