Howard forward Solomon Mangham hit a 3-pointer with about eight minutes left in Wednesday night’s first half, and the Maryland men’s basketball crowd groaned as the Bison took their first lead of the night.

Less than a minute later, Mangham sank another long ball to extend Howard’s lead to three. The 15,584 fans in Xfinity Center stands grew even more frustrated.

Maryland, as had been the script against past mid-major foes in the team’s increasingly common tight games, endured another slow start, plagued by too many outside shots.

But the team started to pound the paint before the halftime buzzer sounded to generate a 15-2 run and a gap it didn’t relinquish.

“We just talked about playing harder, having our guys play harder,” Turgeon said of the halftime discussion. “It’s that simple.”

The fix was simple, as the Terps didn’t draw any second-period groans in the 79-56 win, and Turgeon’s squad shouldn’t forget how it closed.

Before Big Ten play starts at the end of the month, Maryland has three matchups with about as much hype as Maryland football’s matchups with Michigan and Ohio State.

The Terps don’t need to settle on the perimeter because they’ll be bigger, stronger and more equipped to push the physicality. They can’t fall into the same groan-eliciting slump as they started in against the Bison.

Melo Trimble: B

The Terps didn’t need for Trimble to act as a late-game savior this time. A few days after sinking crucial free throws for a one-point win against Oklahoma State, Trimble shot 50 percent and scored 10 points. His 2-for-6 mark from three is concerning, but he found his stroke in the second half as the Terps’ inside-out offensive scheme forced Howard defenders to collapse on Maryland’s big men.

Michal Cekovsky: A

The Slovakian big man received his first start of the season in forward Damonte Dodd’s absence (sprained MCL), but Turgeon admitted Cekovsky had been ready for the promotion in previous contests. And he capitalized, starting 5-for-5 and tying a career-high with 16 points as the team’s main inside scorer. He should shore up his defensive timing in the Terps final nonconference outings.

Kevin Huerter: B

The freshman said after the game he didn’t mind his reduced scoring role after a standout high-school career, but he posted the team’s best three-point shooting percentage to finish with eight points, while totaling four rebounds, four assists and a block.

If Huerter can regain his early-season rhythm, the Terps should rely on him as a well rounded option throughout Big Ten play.

Jaylen Brantley: A-

Before the season, the junior’s position in the rotation appeared to be in jeopardy after his streaky first-year play and guard Anthony Cowan’s arrival. But Brantley won’t field many questions about his time if he continues his hot streak.

His aggression carried the team through the first half, and even more important than his 14 points was his stout performance on the defensive end.