CLEVELAND - Rollie Massimino, who coached Villanova to an NCAA basketball championship, but faltered as Jerry Tarkanian's successor at UNLV, was hired yesterday as the coach at Cleveland State.

Massimino, who is returning to coaching after a two-year absence, replaces Mike Boyd, who resigned March 25.

''I felt I wanted to coach,'' Massimino said. ''It didn't make any difference what it took. I wanted to be part of young people.''

Massimino, 61, replaced Tarkanian at UNLV in 1992, but left in 1994 with a $1.8 million buyout amid fan displeasure over his slower-paced basketball and disclosure of a supplemental contract with the UNLV athletic department. He was 36-21 in two seasons with the Rebels.

Massimino signed a four-year contract with Cleveland State that pays him a base salary of $100,000 a year. He also has the opportunity to run a basketball camp and do radio and television work. He said he will disclose all aspects of the contract.

Boyd was 79-88 in six seasons at Cleveland State. The other finalists to replace him were Bob Weltlich, former coach at Mississippi, Texas and Florida International, former Southern California coach Charlie Parker and former California coach Lou Campanelli.

Massimino won the NCAA Championship in 1985 at Villanova, where he had an 18-year record of 357-241.

He said it would take time to rebuild the Cleveland State program but said his experience at Villanova might be a model. His initial goals are to win a Midwestern Collegiate Conference, go to a major tournament and then, ''one never knows.''