Worth the replay?

1. #1

   St John'satDuke

   CBB· CBSDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

2. #2

   Michigan StatUConn

   CBB· CBSDown to the wire

   B

   55/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 74 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 55

3. #3

   TennesseeatIowa State

   CBB· TBS/truTV

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension12/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

4. #4

   AlabamaatMichigan

   CBB· TBS/truTVBack and forth

   D

   26/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension8/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

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.