Worth the replay?

1. #1

   EvansvilleatValparaiso

   CBB· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   74/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   UConnatSt John's

   CBB· FoxDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61

3. #3

   BrownatYale

   CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

4. #4

   Murray StatS Illinois

   CBB· ESPN+

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension10/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

5. #5

   BelmontatUIC

   CBB· ESPNU

   D

   25/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

6. #6

   BradleyatNorthern Iowa

   CBB· CBSSNOne-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension2/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

7. #7

   DaytonatVCU

   CBB· ESPN2One-sided

   D

   3/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings4/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3

8. #8

   DrakeatIllinois St

   CBB· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   3/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings3/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

9. #9

   Loyola ChicagoatDavidson

   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.