COLLEGE BASKETBALL / DAILY REPORT : ACROSS THE NATION : Gillen Moves to Providence

Pete Gillen, who helped make Xavier of Ohio a regular in the NCAA tournament, returned to his Eastern roots Wednesday when he was hired as basketball coach at Providence.

He replaces Rick Barnes, who last week was appointed coach of Clemson. Gillen agreed to a six-year contract.

Gillen, 46, was born in New York and attended Fairfield University in Connecticut. His wife has family on Cape Cod.

“I never thought I’d leave Xavier,” Gillen said.

Gillen coached Xavier since the 1985-86 season and had a 202-75 record. He led the school to six Midwestern Collegiate Conference regular-season championships.

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Michigan State Coach Jud Heathcote will return to coach the Spartans for the 1994-95 season, but that will be his final season, the coach told the school’s athletic director in East Lansing, Mich.

Heathcote, whose Spartans tied for fourth in the Big Ten this season, is 318-214 at Michigan State and a 398-267 overall in his college career.

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Grant Hill of Duke, Eric Montross of North Carolina and Glenn Robinson of Purdue are repeat choices for the 18th annual Classic Games John Wooden All-America team.

Also picked Wednesday for the team were Damon Bailey of Indiana, Jason Kidd of California, Donyell Marshall of Connecticut, Khalid Reeves of Arizona, Jalen Rose of Michigan, Clifford Rozier of Louisville and Corliss Williamson of Arkansas.