Most years, the tournament ends for me when Duke loses, which means is lasted into the second weekend this year, as they advanced to the round of eight and ended up losing (decisively) to eventual champ Louisville.

But their moderate success also meant I’ve less time to recover from the hangover than I did last year when they lost in the first game, thus liberating me from further care, sending me off into spring a free man.

I tell you this because I have been sorely remiss in reporting on the winner of this year’s Tournament Challenge, and I have no other excuse than the lingering funk of a near-miss.

What a tournament it was.

But folks, we have a winner.

Congratulations to limint83, who not only won first place but third place, too, taking advantage of the opportunity to enter twice, a thing I probably should have done, given that I ended up finishing 21 out of the 28 contestants in our pool and in the 10th percentile overall.

Limint83 has won a year’s subscription to either Idiots’Books or Bobbledy Books. Unfortunately, I do knot know his/her actual identity and therefore cannot provide a snappy profile of the victor (or any profile, for that matter).

So please identify yourself, mighty prognosticator. Write me an email and claim your prize.

As for the rest of you, thanks so much for picking. Tipoff to next season is less than seven months away.