It has been 221 days since North Carolina cut down the nets in Glendale, Arizona after the Tar Heels defeated Gonzaga 71-65 to win their sixth national championship.

For college basketball fans, the time between the NCAA Tournament's championship game and the first day of the next season always seems to be long. Well, hoops junkies, that day is finally here, and it couldn't get here soon enough after to a brutal offseason.. 

Thanks to a wide-ranging FBI Investigation into corruption and bribery that led to the arrest of four assistant coaches, the downfall of Louisville coach Rick Pitino and more casualties sure to follow, it seemed as if the the 2017-18 season would never get here. 

But with the arrival of actual games, the attention may turn from the courtroom and back to the court, where this year's champion will be determined.

Who will be celebrating in San Antonio when this season ends? It's hard to say although the writers, analysts and broadcasters at CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network have their opinions. They share them here -- along with the rest of the picks of which teams will make it to the Final Four.

Four of our experts predict Duke will win the title and four more have Michigan State winning it all Arizona and Villanova  were also picked to win the NCAA Tournament.

And in 144 days, when the Final Four culminates with this season's champion cutting down the nets at the Alamodome, we'll know if any of them were right. 

But it's really just for fun because the most important thing is that the 2017-18 college basketball season is finally here. 

Enjoy it with us every step of the way.