Worth the replay?
Friday, February 13'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 →- #1UNLVatBoise StCBB· FS1OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackB+72/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30Swings20/25Comeback20/20Decided late15/15Back-and-forth3/10Overtime+8Drama 96 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72
- #2ColumbiaatPennCBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forthB+69/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30Swings23/25Comeback14/20Decided late15/15Back-and-forth10/10Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69
- #3HamptonatNC A&TCBB· ESPN2Down to the wireBig comebackB+67/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30Swings21/25Comeback18/20Decided late15/15Back-and-forth5/10Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67
- #4IonaatCanisiusCBB· ESPN+Down to the wireC+54/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30Swings21/25Comeback0/20Decided late14/15Back-and-forth8/10Drama 72 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 54
- #5Saint Peter'satSacred HeartCBB· ESPN+Down to the wireC+49/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30Swings15/25Comeback3/20Decided late15/15Back-and-forth3/10Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49
- #6ManhattanatNiagaraCBB· ESPN+C41/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension23/30Swings19/25Comeback3/20Decided late7/15Back-and-forth3/10Drama 55 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 41
- #7BrownatHarvardCBB· ESPN+C38/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension22/30Swings11/25Comeback0/20Decided late15/15Back-and-forth3/10Drama 51 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38
- #8Mount St MarysatRiderCBB· ESPN+D30/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30Swings13/25Comeback0/20Decided late5/15Back-and-forth3/10Drama 40 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 30
- #9QuinnipiacatSienaCBB· ESPN+D25/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension8/30Swings17/25Comeback6/20Decided late0/15Back-and-forth3/10Drama 34 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25
- #10UMassatAkronCBB· CBSSNOne-sidedD19/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension8/30Swings12/25Comeback0/20Decided late0/15Back-and-forth5/10Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19
- #11George MasonatG WashingtonCBB· CBSSNOne-sidedD16/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension2/30Swings15/25Comeback0/20Decided late0/15Back-and-forth5/10Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16
- #12Michigan StatWisconsinCBB· FoxOne-sidedD12/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30Swings14/25Comeback2/20Decided late0/15Back-and-forth0/10Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12
- #13YaleatDartmouthCBB· ESPN+One-sidedD11/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30Swings7/25Comeback0/20Decided late0/15Back-and-forth3/10Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11
- #14CornellatPrincetonCBB· ESPN+One-sidedD5/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30Swings7/25Comeback0/20Decided late0/15Back-and-forth0/10Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5
- #15OhioatMiami OHCBB· ESPNOne-sidedD0/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30Swings0/25Comeback0/20Decided late0/15Back-and-forth0/10Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 0
- #16Saint LouisatLoyola ChicagoCBB· ESPN2One-sidedD0/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30Swings0/25Comeback0/20Decided late0/15Back-and-forth0/10Drama 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.