Worth the replay?

1. #1

   MinnesotaatCincinnati

   CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback

   A+

   89/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.94 (pre-game Watchability 88) = 89

2. #2

   SyracuseatIndiana

   CBB· FS1Down to the wireBack and forth

   A

   78/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.92 (pre-game Watchability 84) = 78

3. #3

   GA GwinnettatAlabama St

   CBBDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75

4. #4

   LakersatHawks

   NBA

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension29/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.93 (pre-game Watchability 87) = 67

5. #5

   PacersatMavericks

   NBABack and forth

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.78 (pre-game Watchability 55) = 63

6. #6

   PortlandatHawai'i

   CBB· MW+Big comeback

   B

   57/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension25/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.71 (pre-game Watchability 43) = 57

7. #7

   Seton HallatCharlotte

   CBB· ESPN+

   C+

   52/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension25/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 60 × pre-game weight 0.87 (pre-game Watchability 73) = 52

8. #8

   IslandersatSharks

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   48/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.58 (pre-game Watchability 16) = 48

9. #9

   GrizzliesatRaptors

   NBA

   D

   35/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension13/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late1/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 44 × pre-game weight 0.80 (pre-game Watchability 59) = 35

10. #10

    NuggetsatRockets

    NBA

    D

    34/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension20/30

    Swings11/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.93 (pre-game Watchability 86) = 34

11. #11

    HowardatPenn

    CBB· ESPN+

    D

    29/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension2/30

    Swings21/25

    Comeback10/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.81 (pre-game Watchability 62) = 29

12. #12

    CavaliersatHornets

    NBABig comeback

    D

    26/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension8/30

    Swings12/25

    Comeback16/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.68 (pre-game Watchability 37) = 26

13. #13

    RangersatOilers

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    22/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension18/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.88 (pre-game Watchability 76) = 22

14. #14

    BillsatVikings

    NFL· ESPN/ABCOne-sided

    D

    17/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension6/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.92 (pre-game Watchability 85) = 17

15. #15

    FlyersatCanucks

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension17/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.52 (pre-game Watchability 3) = 13

16. #16

    SC UpstateatCoastal

    CBB· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension9/30

    Swings12/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late3/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.50 (pre-game Watchability 1) = 11

17. #17

    SC StateatChicago St

    CBBOne-sided

    D

    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension2/30

    Swings15/25

    Comeback4/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.55 (pre-game Watchability 11) = 11

18. #18

    North DakotaatClemson

    CBB· ACCNXBack and forthOne-sided

    D

    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension7/30

    Swings2/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.56 (pre-game Watchability 13) = 11

19. #19

    UNC GreensboroatUIC

    CBB· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension4/30

    Swings12/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.55 (pre-game Watchability 11) = 10

20. #20

    FGCUatGeorgia

    CBB· SECN+One-sided

    D

    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension9/30

    Swings0/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.60 (pre-game Watchability 21) = 10

21. #21

    StonehillatColumbia

    CBB· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings16/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.50 (pre-game Watchability 0) = 10

22. #22

    E WashingtonatOregon St

    CBB· YouTubeOne-sided

    D

    8/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.72 (pre-game Watchability 43) = 8

23. #23

    SpursatSuns

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings4/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.83 (pre-game Watchability 66) = 7

24. #24

    WizardsatPistons

    NBA· NBCSNOne-sided

    D

    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.68 (pre-game Watchability 37) = 7

25. #25

    Illinois StatPurdue

    CBB· FS1One-sided

    D

    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.79 (pre-game Watchability 57) = 6

26. #26

    Long IslandatTowson

    CBBOne-sided

    D

    5/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings5/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.69 (pre-game Watchability 37) = 5

27. #27

    Kansas CityatJacksonville

    CBB· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    5/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.68 (pre-game Watchability 35) = 5

28. #28

    MarshallatOhio State

    CBB· BTNOne-sided

    D

    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension6/30

    Swings0/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.71 (pre-game Watchability 43) = 4

29. #29

    UT ArlingtonatBethesda

    CBBOne-sided

    D

    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings0/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

30. #30

    RadfordatTennessee

    CBB· SECN+One-sided

    D

    3/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings0/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.63 (pre-game Watchability 27) = 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.