Worth the replay?

Sunday, February 1'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
    East CarolinaatFAU
    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
    TulaneatMemphis
    CBB· ESPN2Down to the wireBig comeback
    B+
    70/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback16/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

  3. #3
    Saint Peter'satRider
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback
    B+
    69/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback19/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

  4. #4
    QuinnipiacatFairfield
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback
    B+
    66/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings22/25
    Comeback15/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 88 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66

  5. #5
    Cleveland StatMilwaukee
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    B
    65/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback13/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65

  6. #6
    MinnesotaatPenn State
    CBB· PeacockDown to the wire
    C+
    54/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback3/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 72 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 54

  7. #7
    ManhattanatMount St Marys
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    C
    44/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late14/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

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

  8. #8
    CoastalatUL Monroe
    CBB· ESPN+
    C
    44/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension28/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late12/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 58 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 44

  9. #9
    IllinoisatNebraska
    CBB· FS1
    C
    37/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension10/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback11/20
    Decided late1/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 49 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 37

  10. #10
    ETSUatWofford
    CBB· CBSSN
    C
    37/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension22/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late6/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 49 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 37

  11. #11
    Rhode IslandatDuquesne
    CBB· USA Net
    C
    36/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension24/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback4/20
    Decided late7/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 36

  12. #12
    Wright StatGreen Bay
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    29/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension22/30
    Swings11/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late6/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

  13. #13
    N KentuckyatOakland
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    28/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension9/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback3/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28

  14. #14
    MaristatNiagara
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    24/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension13/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

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

  15. #15
    SamfordatW Carolina
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    19/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  16. #16
    ChattanoogaatFurman
    CBB· ESPN2One-sided
    D
    18/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension14/30
    Swings10/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

  17. #17
    Wichita StatTulsa
    CBB· ESPNUOne-sided
    D
    17/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

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

  18. #18
    TCUatColorado
    CBB· TNT/truTVOne-sided
    D
    15/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

  19. #19
    Sacred HeartatMerrimack
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    14/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension6/30
    Swings11/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

  20. #20
    AlabamaatFlorida
    CBB· ABCOne-sided
    D
    12/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings11/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12

  21. #21
    IowaatOregon
    CBB· FS1One-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension3/30
    Swings11/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

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

  22. #22
    SienaatCanisius
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

  23. #23
    Iowa StateatKansas St
    CBB· FoxOne-sided
    D
    2/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings3/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2

  24. #24
    PurdueatMaryland
    CBB· CBSOne-sided
    D
    2/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings2/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 2 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2

  25. #25
    Kansas CityatSt Thomas
    CBB· CBSSNOne-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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