Worth the replay?

Saturday, March 14'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
PennatHarvard
CBB· ESPNEWSOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
74/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback14/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 99 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 74
#2
DaytonatSaint Louis
CBB· CBSSNDown to the wireBig comeback
B+
73/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback20/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 98 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73
#3
CA BaptistatUtah Valley
CBB· ESPN2Down to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
B+
72/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback16/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 96 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72
#4
ToledoatAkron
CBB· ESPN2Down to the wireBack and forth
B+
69/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback12/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69
#5
WisconsinatMichigan
CBB· CBSDown to the wire
B
62/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback5/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62
#6
Hawai'iatUC Irvine
CBB· ESPN2Back and forth
B
62/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings20/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62
#7
Ole MissatArkansas
CBB· ESPNOvertimeDown to the wire
B
58/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings20/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Overtime+8
Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58
#8
VermontatUMBC
CBB· ESPN2Down to the wire
B
58/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings23/25
Comeback5/20
Decided late12/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58
#9
HoustonatArizona
CBB· ESPN
C+
53/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension29/30
Swings20/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53
#10
VirginiaatDuke
CBB· ESPNDown to the wireBack and forth
C+
53/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings15/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53
#11
PurdueatUCLA
CBB· CBSDown to the wire
C+
48/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings17/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late12/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48
#12
Prairie ViewatSouthern
CBB· ESPNU
C+
48/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension28/30
Swings16/25
Comeback5/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48
#13
San Diego StatUtah State
CBB· CBS
C+
48/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late6/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 63 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48
#14
TulsaatWichita St
CBB· ESPN2
D
25/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension6/30
Swings17/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 34 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25
#15
CornellatYale
CBB· ESPNU
D
23/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension16/30
Swings12/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late3/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23
#16
Kennesaw StatLouisiana Tech
CBB· CBSSN
D
23/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension14/30
Swings12/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late1/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23
#17
VanderbiltatFlorida
CBB· ESPN
D
22/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings16/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22
#18
NC CentralatHoward
CBB· ESPN2One-sided
D
17/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension11/30
Swings8/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17
#19
UConnatSt John's
CBB· FoxOne-sided
D
7/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension3/30
Swings7/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7
#20
Saint Joseph'satVCU
CBB· CBSSNOne-sided
D
3/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings4/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3
#21
CharlotteatSouth Florida
CBB· ESPN2One-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

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.