SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Uncertainty is here at the Women's Final Four, mainly because Tennessee isn't.

Last year in Kansas City, Mo., a Volunteers coronation lay beneath the paper-thin posturing from the other three teams, an atmosphere that might have been here this week if Tennessee had not fallen short while seeking its fourth straight title.

But until Georgia (27-6) and Duke (28-6) start the festivities today at 7 p.m. EST -- followed by Purdue (32-1) and Louisiana Tech (30-2) -- and maybe until the end of Sunday's championship game, no one will have any idea.

"I don't know if I've been to a Final Four that has four teams who knows who's going to win?" said Louisiana Tech's Leon Barmore, who is coaching in his eighth Final Four and whose team reached the final game last year. "I don't think there's that much difference between the four."

All four teams began the season ranked in the top 10 and all spent time ranked in the top five, but Georgia has three strikes against it going into tonight's Final Four.

It isn't top-ranked (like Purdue), it didn't play in last year's championship game (like Louisiana Tech) and it didn't beat Tennessee earlier this week (like Duke), or anytime recently for that matter.

So against three other schools that lend themselves to labeling -- The Favorite, The Experienced, The Cinderella -- the Bulldogs find themselves overshadowed, despite being the team with the best chance to make return trips in the near future.

The team is overlooked in part because the Mideast Regional it emerged from was considered the weakest in the tournament. Part of it is because the team plays in the same conference as Tennessee, a team it hasn't beaten in two years.

Georgia coach Andy Landers attributed it to the media.

"This is our fifth Final Four and we've played in two national championship games; Tennessee's won eight Southeastern Conference championships and we've won six," Landers said yesterday. "We obviously are in their shadow, and I hold some of you responsible for it."

"I don't think it matters," Georgia guard Coco Miller said. "It doesn't bother us. I'm just excited to be here."

Miller is one of the Miller twins, a pair of sophomores from Minnesota who each averaged 18 points per game and combined for 49 points in the Mideast final against Iowa State. Kelly, who was named to the Kodak All-America team yesterday, averaged 23.3 points and 8.3 rebounds while earning the most outstanding player award for the regional.

"They are fantastic. They are incredible," Duke coach Gail Goestenkors said of the pair. "They're tremendous rebounding guards who push the ball up, make great decisions in transition and can shoot the three and penetrate. I'm looking for weaknesses."

Placed against Duke -- with four seniors playing key roles -- Georgia seems weak in the experience department. Nine of the 10 players on the Bulldogs' roster will be returning next season, and only two of those are juniors.

The youth can be a curse, as Landers said his team tends to play better in practices than it does in games. This might have been the case as Georgia lost four out of five games (three to unranked teams) and played its way out of a top seed after a 14-0 start.

But being young can also be a blessing. Not yet set in their ways, the Bulldogs were able to absorb a matchup zone taught four days before holding Clemson to 37 percent shooting in the Mideast semifinal, then held Iowa State to 35 percent shooting to reach the Final Four.

"We've been real pleased with the way our players have been able to adjust to each of the games that we've played in and to the strengths of the other team," Landers said. "It's a young basketball team, and I'm excited about it. There isn't a player on our team that's close to being as good as she can be, so we could be a lot better in the future if we keep the right attitude."

Women's NCAA tournament

Final Four

At San Jose, Calif.

Today's semifinals

Georgia (27-6) vs.

Duke (28-6), 7 p.m.

Louisiana Tech (30-2) vs.

Purdue (32-1), 9: 30 p.m.

Sunday's title game

Semifinal winners, 9 p.m. TV: ESPN

Pub Date: 3/26/99