As the 1997-1998 college basketball season gets underway, we begin our journey on the Road to the Final Four and speculate who will invade the Alamodome in San Antonio this year.

I will let you in on a secret right now the University of Arizona’s gunslingers will not repeat last year’s performance. The other Wildcats (University of Kentucky) will also be tamed in Tubby’s inaugural season.

The boys from Tobacco Road, Duke University and the University of North Carolina will upend the Year of the Wildcat and become a wrecking force in the NCAA this year.

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There are a few other contenders this year who will battle to reach the Panhandle. The University of Kansas will attempt to rebound off its heartbreaking loss to Arizona last year. Arizona brings back its championship squad. Kentucky begins the Tubby Smith era, and the University of South Carolina returns a potent backcourt.

I will start first with the returning champs Arizona. They return all five starters, including its poster-boy backcourt of Mike Bibby and Miles Simon.

Bibby is by far the best point guard in the nation. However, Simon is indicative of the rest of the Arizona team too streaky. Simon needs to become more consistent if the Wildcats are hoping to win another championship.

Prediction:Solid season, but early-round upset come tournament time.

The other Wildcats, who lost to Arizona in the NCAA Finals last season, also are a contender. Kentucky is without coach Rick Pitino, who left for the big bucks in the NBA.

Tubby Smith is a great coach and will lead Kentucky to many great things, but not this year.

Kentucky lost too much firepower to the NBA, with respect to Ron Mercer and Derek Anderson. They also lost guard Anthony Epps and forward Jared Prickett.

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Prediction:Wildcats make some noise, but are watching on the tube come Final Four time.

Now to the obvious. North Carolina returns an explosive squad from last season. Player of the Year candidate Antawn Jamison will be a monster in the paint this season, and explosive leaper Vince Carter will fill the highlight reel.

Crafty point guard Ed Cota will feed Jamison and Carter alley-oops, and sharp-shooter Shammond Williams will knock down threes all season.

With the addition of 6-foot-11 freshman Brendan Haywood, plus playing against top-quality competition all year in the ACC, the Tarheels will be a major contender for the national championship.

Prediction:The Tarheels already have their hotel reservations in San Antonio.

Another ACC powerhouse, Duke, brings in the best recruiting class in the country.

Elton Brand, who is built like a brick house, will be a major factor in the paint, and William Avery is the best freshman point guard in the nation. Plus, big-men Chris Burgess and Shane Battier will keep the Cameron Crazies rocking this year.

They return experience in senior point guard the Bulldog, Steve Wojciechowski and the Alaskan-Assassin, Trajan Langdon, who can hit from anywhere on the court.

The return of senior slasher Ricky Price will be a great addition in the second semester.

Prediction:Duke will accompany ACC counterpart North Carolina to San Antonio.

My next contender is Kansas, who is hungry this year after last year’s Sweet Sixteen loss to Arizona.

Kansas brings back experience in forward Raef LaFrentz and Paul Pierce, who have been major contributors over the past couple of years.

Their only losses are expendable in Jacque Vaughn, who Kansas played without for a time last year. Vaughn’s absence granted freshman Ryan Robertson experience for this season.

Roy Williams and Co. also bring in 6-foot-8 transfer Lester Earl from LSU, who will be eligible in the second semester for the Jayhawks.

Prediction:Kansas comes back strong. Look for them in the Final Four.

South Carolina returns four starters, including a solid backcourt in B.J. McKie, who averaged 17.4 points per game last season, and point guard Melvin Watson, who averaged 11 points and 5.1 assists.

After a short stay in the tournament last season at the hands of 15th-seed Coppin State University in the first round, the Gamecocks come back strong because of their solid guard play, which is essential come tournament time.

Prediction:South Carolina becomes the surprise of the tournament and reaches the Final Four after last year’s setback.

The Road to the Final Four is a long, hard-fought journey. Like the great Odysseus, these teams will have to contend many obstacles on their pilgrimage to San Antonio. But it is all worthwhile when they are cutting the nets down in April.