Keith Ford.The Rebels had turnovers on their first two possessions

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- No. 15 Purdue kept making No. 3 Villanova hold its breath Monday night.Josh Hart made sure the Wildcats followed the same old beat.The preseason All-America guard scored 24 points, made big shot after big shot and calmly sank the final four free throws of the game to help the defending national champions hang on for a 79-76 victory.Josh just said to me at the beginning of the second half that `we got this, Wildcats coach Jay Wright said. Thats the real strength of this team -- the leadership. I think thats what you saw the start of the second half.Villanova (2-0) has won eight straight games, including the six NCAA Tournament wins that led to last seasons national championship. And as far as early-season victories go, this was about as big as they come.Purdue had won nine straight on its home court and had only lost one previous November game since Matt Painter took over as coach in 2006-07.The difference was Villanova had Hart, who finished three points short of his career high, and the Boilermakers didnt have an answer.We had to do a better job on Josh Hart, Painter said. Their overall toughness is among the best in the country.Purdue sure didnt make it easy on the Wildcats, who made their first seven shots of the second half and charged to a 56-45 lead.The Boilermakers rallied behind Isaac Haas and Caleb Swanigan, who combined for five straight baskets during a flurry that pulled Purdue to 61-60. Haas scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half, and Swanigan had 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists.But with Harts shooting and the Wildcats stout defense, the Boilermakers never took the lead, never tied the score and couldnt make either 3-pointer that could have forced overtime in the waning seconds.This game was huge for us, playing a great team, a very disciplined team in that crazy environment, Hart said.Darryl Reynolds had 12 points and eight rebounds for Villanova.BIG PICTUREVillanova: The Wildcats passed their biggest test of November -- barely. Now theyve got five games over the next 15 days, three more by Sunday, to get everything in sync.Purdue: This early test showed the Boilermakers can play with the big boys. Beating them might still be a challenge if they dont find more perimeter shooting.COUNT ITThe Boilermakers erased a 39-34 deficit in the final 40 seconds of the first half with a layup from Swanigan and after Vince Edwards scooped up a loose ball and got it to guard P.J. Thompson, who banked in a buzzer-beating 3 from midcourt to tie it. The crowd went wild long before a replay review confirmed the original call that it counted.RARE AIRPurdue is 12-14 when facing a defending national champ. But having one from outside the Big Ten visit West Lafayette is a rarity. Since hosting UCLA for the opening game on Dec. 2 1967, it had happened only one other time before Monday: Against Louisville on Jan. 18, 1987. UCLA won the first game 73-71, but the Boilermakers beat Louisville 88-73.POLL IMPLCATIONSVillanova: The Wildcats proved theyre worthy of a high ranking with a quality road victory but will be hard-pressed to move up unless No. 1 Duke or No. 2 Kentucky lose.Purdue: The Boilermakers arent likely to slide much, if at all, after coming within a basket or two of upsetting a top-5 team.UP NEXTVillanova: On Thursday, the Wildcats face Western Michigan in Charleston, South Carolina, as they begin chasing a fourth straight in-season tourney title.Purdue: Hosts Georgia State on Friday, marking the return of former IUPUI coach Ron Hunter. The Boilermakers are 24-2 at Mackey Arena over the last 26 games.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org Gump Worsley Stars Jersey . Paul Pierce couldnt believe he missed at the end. Young scored a season-high 26 points to spark a huge effort from the leagues most productive bench, and Los Angeles beat the Brooklyn Nets 99-94 on Wednesday night after blowing a 27-point lead. Custom Dallas Stars Jerseys . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat. http://www.thedallasstarshockey.com/esa-lindell-hockey-jersey/ . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. Blake Comeau Jersey . Vokoun departed practice on Saturday morning after discovering swelling in his thigh. He was taken to a local hospital where the clot was revealed. The club announced the surgery following a 5-3 exhibition loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Mike Gartner Jersey . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Shea Patterson threw for 338 yards and two touchdowns in his debut and Gary Wunderlich made a 39-yard field goal with 37 seconds left to lift Mississippi past No. 8 Texas A&M, 29-28 on Saturday night.The Rebels pulled the redshirt off Patterson, the highly regarded recruit, to start in place of Chad Kelly, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last week.Mississippi (5-5, 2-4 Southeastern Conference) trailed by 15 entering the fourth quarter before Patterson got going.A 13-yard touchdown reception by Josh Reynolds put A&M up 28-19. Patterson then connected with Van Jefferson on a 32-yard reception for his second TD pass of the quarter to cut the lead to 28-26 with 5:17 remaining.A&M (7-3, 4-3) had to punt and Patterson moved the offense into position for Wunderlichs game-winning field goal.The Aggies had a chance to win it late, but Jake Hubenak was intercepted by Deontay Anderson to secure the victory. Hubenak was making his first start this season in place of Trevor Knight, who injured his shoulder last week.Early in the fourth quarter Patterson looked like he was channeling A&M Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel when he scrambled to one side, avoided the rush and ran the other way before launching a 6-yard touchdown pass to Damoreea Stringfellow to get Ole Miss within 21-13.On their next drive Stringfellow reached out with his right hand and tipped the ball with his fingertips beforee reeling it in with one hand for an eye-popping 40-yard reception.dddddddddddd Akeem Judds 21-yard run made it 21-19, but the two-point conversion failed.The Aggies led 21-6 at halftime thanks to two touchdown runs by Keith Ford.The Rebels had turnovers on their first two possessions of the second half, but Texas A&M couldnt convert either of them into points. Patterson threw an interception on the first one and Jason Pellerin was sacked and fumbled after that.THE TAKEAWAYMISSISSIPPI: Patterson showed why he was the No. 1 rated dual-threat quarterback recruit by Rivals last year, and should make Ole Miss fans excited about his potential for next season. But first hell look to get the Rebels a win over Vanderbilt next week to make them bowl eligible for the fifth straight season.TEXAS A&M: Hubenak couldnt make plays in the second half and the Aggie struggled with tackling yet again. Hell have to improve if Texas A&M hopes to beat LSU in two weeks and salvage this season that started out with six straight wins before the Aggies dropped three of their last four games.UP NEXTMISSISSIPPI: The Rebels visit Vanderbilt next Saturday.TEXAS A&M: The Aggies take a break from SEC play by hosting Texas-San Antonio next Saturday before wrapping up the regular season against LSU on Thanksgiving night. ' ' '