SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Mississippi's offense could not be stopped in its first four basketball games. The Rebels averaged 89.2 points in their undefeated start.

However, against No. 5 Villanova, that offensive firepower was quickly extinguished as the Wildcats defeated the Rebels, 79-67, to win the Puerto Rico Tip-Off last night.

"We have a chance to be a pretty good defensive team," coach Jay Wright after Villanova improved to 5-0. "You can talk about it all you want, but you have to step up and do it."

The Wildcats stifled a Rebels offense that entered the game shooting 51 percent from the field. Against Villanova, Ole Miss made only 38.1 percent of its shots.

Villanova guard Scottie Reynolds finished with 21 points despite scoring just three in the first half.

Meanwhile, the Rebels couldn't find an answer down low for junior forward Antonio Pena, who recorded his third double-double of the season with 17 points and 16 rebounds.

"These two veterans just carried us through the tournament," Wright said.

Pena was named the tournament's most outstanding player, averaging 15.0 points and 11.7 rebounds in three games.

"He was a beast the entire tournament," Wright said. "He had done it every game this year, and I am proud of him because he has worked hard for this."

Villanova wasted no time asserting itself, outscoring Ole Miss by 8-0 in the game's first three minutes. However, the Rebels immediately responded, going on a 17-4 run directly after Villanova's fast start.

The Wildcats' leading scorers, Corey Fisher and Reynolds, sat for most of the first half with two fouls apiece, but Villanova took the lead and went into halftime ahead, 27-23, mainly because of the play of Pena, who had nine points and nine rebounds at the break.

The Wildcats pulled away in the game's final twenty minutes, outscoring the Rebels, 52-44.

Villanova is looking for someone to step up in the frontcourt after the departure of senior forwards Dante Cunningham, Dwayne Anderson and Shane Clark after last season. Pena filled that role last night.

"Coach has confidence in me now," Pena said. "He is saying I need to step up and be that leader that he needs."

On the night before the tournament began, 'Nova lost freshman center Mouphtaou Yarou, who flew home because of a viral infection. Despite the bad start to the tournament, the Wildcats recovered.

"We started off on such a downer," Wright said. "To finish like this is just amazing."

Pena was joined by Reynolds on the all-tournament team.

The Wildcats will host Big Five rival La Salle on Saturday.