Kasia McClendon and Nikki Gilmore, in my estimation, I don’t know of a better backcourt in the country, she said. I mean, if there is one, I’d like to know where it is. I’m talking Tennessee, Auburn, you can name them all, and I wouldn’t trade my two guards for anybody’s two guards.

Four guards return to the SIUC lineup this year, including sophomore Beth Hasheider, senior Tracy Holscher, junior Kasia McClendon and senior Nikki Gilmore. Senior guard-forward, LaQuanda Chavours also returns.

SIUC fans should look for the duo of Gilmore and McClendon to dominate opponents again this season.

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At two-guard for the Salukis, Gilmore posted a .403 three-point shooting percentage and averaged 15 points per game, a team best, last season.

McClendon, a 5-5 point guard, was the only player to play in all 28 games last season and led the Missouri Valley Conference in steals with 112 as a sophomore.

Coach Cindy Scott said the different playing styles of McClendon and Gilmore compliment each other on the court.

Kasia is very gutsy and tenacious, Scott said. She’s like a fighter, an intimidator. Nikki, on the other hand, is a kind of cool, suave, finesse type player. They’re really very different, but compliment each other very well.

This year’s backcourt is well rounded and Scott said its numerous strengths should combine to form a winning combination on the court.

Their quickness, their ball handling, their ability to penetrate, their ability to score, they’re just good, she said. That’s the best way I can describe them. They’re just good.

SIUC also has the depth to run a three-guard offense, despite the loss of guard Cari Hassell. Hassell led the team in three-point shots made and attempted and was the Salukis’ second highest scorer.

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Gilmore related the Hassell situation to that of former Saluki Rocky Ransom. Ransom, a forward for SIUC, was sidelined for the final 12 games of her junior season due to a knee injury suffered at Southwest Missouri State. Ransom, considered a leader on the team, never fully recovered from the injury.

We’ve got to go with what we have, she said. We have to move forward. We have players that will have to step up.

McClendon said members of the squad have stepped up in the preseason to fill the void left by Hassell.

They’ve already stepped up. Everyone has, even the freshmen have shown signs that they’ll be ready to play this season.

Scott said her squad is ready to quiet the critics who have said SIUC will be weaker without Hassell.

It’s interesting, because I kind of like this position, she said. Because a lot of people think that maybe we’ll be down a little bit because we lost Cari Hassell. She was an awesome player, but it’s so neat in athletics when you lose a player of that caliber, all of a sudden somebody else steps up.

Hassell’s departure freed a great deal of playing time for players who will make an impact on both offensive and defense, Scott said.

She (Hassell), quite honestly, probably would have played 35 minutes a ball game, she said. So, that freed 35 minutes a game for LaQuanda Chavours, for Beth Hasheider, and those kids can be every bit as good.

Tracy Holscher is also expected to contribute on the offensive end.

Tracy’s a shooter for us, and we need shooters, Scott said. This is her senior year and our seniors understand our stuff so well.

Scott said the key to the backcourt’s success is remaining healthy.

The key to them is staying healthy, she said. Because if they’re healthy, nobody can stop them.