Worth the replay?

Sunday, November 8'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. #1
    CBB· MW+OvertimeDown to the wire
    A
    84/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.97 (pre-game Watchability 93) = 84

  2. #2
    CBB· CWDown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    74/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.90 (pre-game Watchability 81) = 74

  3. #3
    CBB· ESPN2
    B+
    69/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension27/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 73 × pre-game weight 0.94 (pre-game Watchability 89) = 69

  4. #4
    CBBDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    B+
    68/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback16/20
    Decided late14/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.74 (pre-game Watchability 47) = 68

  5. #5
    CBB· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    B
    59/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings22/25
    Comeback20/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.59 (pre-game Watchability 18) = 59

  6. #6
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback
    B
    59/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback17/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.65 (pre-game Watchability 31) = 59

  7. #7
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback
    B
    58/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback18/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.61 (pre-game Watchability 22) = 58

  8. #8
    B
    57/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension25/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback12/20
    Decided late11/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 63) = 57

  9. #9
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
    B
    56/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback14/20
    Decided late10/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.64 (pre-game Watchability 28) = 56

  10. #10
    CBB· ESPN+Back and forth
    C+
    53/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension23/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback13/20
    Decided late5/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50) = 53

  11. #11
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback
    C+
    53/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback15/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.57 (pre-game Watchability 14) = 53

  12. #12
    CBB· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    C+
    51/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback16/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.51 (pre-game Watchability 2) = 51

  13. #13
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    C+
    47/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback2/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.67 (pre-game Watchability 34) = 47

  14. #14
    CBB· ESPN+
    C
    40/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback2/20
    Decided late8/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.66 (pre-game Watchability 32) = 40

  15. #15
    CBB· MW+Down to the wire
    C
    40/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings22/25
    Comeback9/20
    Decided late9/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.52 (pre-game Watchability 4) = 40

  16. #16
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    25/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension6/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.71 (pre-game Watchability 41) = 25

  17. #17
    CBB· MW+Back and forth
    D
    24/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension9/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 39) = 24

  18. #18
    CBB· ESPNOne-sided
    D
    24/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.99 (pre-game Watchability 98) = 24

  19. #19
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    24/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension9/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.77 (pre-game Watchability 54) = 24

  20. #20
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension10/30
    Swings6/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.56 (pre-game Watchability 12) = 13

  21. #21
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings11/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.66 (pre-game Watchability 33) = 10

  22. #22
    CBB· SECN+One-sided
    D
    8/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension6/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.57 (pre-game Watchability 14) = 8

  23. #23
    CBB· USA NetOne-sided
    D
    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension2/30
    Swings6/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.93 (pre-game Watchability 87) = 7

  24. #24
    CBB· ESPN2One-sided
    D
    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings7/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.92 (pre-game Watchability 84) = 6

  25. #25
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension4/30
    Swings5/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.50 (pre-game Watchability 0) = 4

  26. #26
    D
    2/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings4/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.51 (pre-game Watchability 1) = 2

  27. #27
    HarvardatChicago
    CBBOne-sided
    D
    2/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2

  28. #28
    CBB· MW+One-sided
    D
    2/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings3/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.54 (pre-game Watchability 8) = 2

  29. #29
    CBB· CWOne-sided
    D
    0/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.80 (pre-game Watchability 60) = 0

  30. #30
    RiponatMilwaukee
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    0/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 0

  31. #31
    Central PennatNavy
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    0/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 0

  32. #32
    AllenatWofford
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    0/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 0

  33. #33
    KeukaatCornell
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    0/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 0

  34. #34
    Lincoln (CA)atIdaho
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    0/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 0

  35. #35
    PortlandatBethesda
    CBBOne-sided
    D
    0/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 0

  36. #36
    CBB· PeacockOne-sided
    D
    0/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.69 (pre-game Watchability 37) = 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.

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