Worth the replay?

Monday, March 9'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
Detroit MercyatRobert Morris
CBB· ESPN2Down to the wireBack and forth
B+
70/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback14/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70
#2
Santa ClaraatSaint Mary's
CBB· ESPN2Down to the wireBack and forth
B+
70/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback13/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70
#3
TowsonatHofstra
CBB· CBSSNOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
66/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings21/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 88 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66
#4
Alcorn StatAlabama St
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback
B
62/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback17/20
Decided late10/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62
#5
Weber StatE Washington
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
B
57/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings16/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57
#6
N ColoradoatMontana
CBB· ESPN+
C+
53/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53
#7
N KentuckyatWright St
CBB· ESPNUBack and forth
D
31/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings19/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 31
#8
LSU N OrleansatTexas A&M-CC
CBB· ESPN+
D
31/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension17/30
Swings19/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 31
#9
FurmanatETSU
CBB· ESPN
D
20/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension6/30
Swings14/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20
#10
CampbellatMonmouth
CBB· CBSSNOne-sided
D
17/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension2/30
Swings16/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17
#11
NichollsatUT Rio Grande
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
13/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings14/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13
#12
GA SouthernatTroy
CBB· ESPN2One-sided
D
8/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings10/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8
#13
Miss Valley StatGrambling
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
6/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings6/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6
#14
Oregon StatGonzaga
CBB· ESPNOne-sided
D
1/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings0/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 1 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 1

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.