Worth the replay?

Sunday, March 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
CharlotteatFAU
CBB· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback
B+
75/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback16/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Overtime+8
Drama 99 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75
#2
CharlestonatUNC Wilmington
CBB· CBSSNDown to the wireBig comeback
B+
69/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings23/25
Comeback19/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69
#3
RiceatTemple
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
B+
67/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings19/25
Comeback15/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67
#4
QuinnipiacatCanisius
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
B+
67/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67
#5
North TexasatUAB
CBB· ESPNUDown to the wireBig comeback
B+
65/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback15/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65
#6
BelmontatIllinois St
CBB· CBSSNDown to the wire
B
65/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings20/25
Comeback13/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65
#7
RutgersatMaryland
CBB· FS1Down to the wire
B
62/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback11/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62
#8
DePaulatMarquette
CBB· FS1Down to the wire
B
62/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback13/20
Decided late13/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62
#9
Saint Peter'satMarist
CBB· ESPNU/ESPN+Big comeback
B
59/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension26/30
Swings20/25
Comeback17/20
Decided late13/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59
#10
La SalleatDavidson
CBB· USA NetDown to the wireBack and forth
C+
54/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings17/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 72 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 54
#11
IonaatManhattan
CBB· ESPN+
C+
47/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings14/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 47
#12
Murray StatBradley
CBB· ESPN2/ESPN+
C+
46/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension25/30
Swings16/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late9/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46
#13
S IllinoisatEvansville
CBB· ESPN+
C
42/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings14/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late10/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42
#14
PurdueatOhio State
CBB· CBS
C
35/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension14/30
Swings18/25
Comeback13/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 47 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 35
#15
MemphisatEast Carolina
CBB· ESPN+Big comeback
D
31/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension3/30
Swings21/25
Comeback15/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 41 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 31
#16
UICatIndiana St
CBB· ESPN+
D
24/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings18/25
Comeback11/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24
#17
Mount St MarysatFairfield
CBB· ESPN+
D
22/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings20/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22
#18
Northern IowaatDrake
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
16/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension3/30
Swings14/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16
#19
RideratSiena
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
13/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension2/30
Swings8/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13
#20
MerrimackatNiagara
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
11/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension2/30
Swings11/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11
#21
Michigan StatIndiana
CBB· CBSOne-sided
D
10/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension7/30
Swings7/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10
#22
TulaneatSouth Florida
CBB· ESPN2One-sided
D
8/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings3/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8
#23
Wichita StatUTSA
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
3/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension2/30
Swings2/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3

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.