By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

UK's Chuck Hayes (bottom) might be considered short for a post player at 6 feet 6, but his versatility keeps him on the court. (Associated Press photo)

LEXINGTON - Tom Izzo built a basketball power behind, well, power, emphasizing hustle and muscle as Michigan State bulled its way to three consecutive Final Fours.

So those experts who figured gritty Kentucky forward Chuck Hayes a long shot to make the Pan American Games this summer might have forgotten who was coaching the U.S. team.

Izzo.

"I'd give my right arm to have a Chuck Hayes," the MSU coach said.

There's a symmetry to the reunion Hayes and Izzo will have Saturday in Detroit, when the Wildcats and Spartans clash at Ford Field.

Izzo labels Hayes "a perfect Tubby Smith player." Smith's system emphasizes defense and toughness the same way Izzo's does. And Hayes called those coaches mirror images, saying, "The only difference is that (Izzo) is shorter."

The 6-foot-6, 247-pound Hayes, undersized in the post, embodies the blue-collar nature Izzo preaches. So Izzo wasn't shocked when Hayes not only played his way onto the U.S. team but wound up its best all-around player.

At the Games, played in early August in the Dominican Republic, Hayes led the team in rebounding (7.6 avg.) and finished second in scoring (11.2). His seven steals in five games were most on the team, and his eight assists were second.

Plenty of bigger-name players, including Syracuse forward Hakim Warrick, didn't even make the team. Other prominent big men such as Connecticut's Emeka Okafor and Missouri's Arthur Johnson didn't flash the all-around game Hayes did. The UK junior was the only player on the U.S. team, which finished fourth, who isn't on the list of preseason Wooden Award candidates.

"It helped my confidence a lot," Hayes said of the experience. "I was able to showcase my skills for the coaches and for the scouts that were there.

". . . I learned that I can play at that level, whatever level lies ahead of me."

Hayes might continually be sold short. He didn't make the preseason all-Southeastern Conference teams, yet he is averaging a double-double with 10.8 points and 10.5 rebounds for the 4-0 Wildcats.

As Izzo tells it, he was certain Hayes was going to survive final tryouts for the Pan Am team but decided to match him against the other top American big men in a scrimmage. "He had like 14 points with 16 or 18 rebounds," Izzo said.

"You can find things wrong with Chuck: Is he big enough for his size; does he shoot it consistently well enough?" Izzo said. "But he's just kind of one of those guys that wins for you. He's like a bigger Mateen Cleaves (star of MSU's 2000 national championship)."

Said Smith: "You have to watch him a long time. He's out there doing the little things - getting loose balls, rebounds. He does the things other guys don't want to do."

Hayes was UK's leading rebounder (6.8 avg.) last season despite being the third-tallest starter. He led the team in free throw shooting at 78.8 percent and was tied for the most steals (42). He averaged 2.3 assists and one block a game. And he usually guarded the opponent's top scorer.

Smith said at the end of last season that Hayes was the one player UK couldn't have done without.

Hayes is all business, no frills. He drives a pickup truck. He even broke off a relationship lately, saying a love life would detract from the importance of this season.

"I've grown a lot since I've been here," Hayes said. "I'm going to do everything I can to help this team win."

E-mail nschmidt@enquirer.com