As the students prepared for final exams, which start Wednesday, the Maryland men’s basketball team aced its nonconference matchup against Jacksonville State in front of an announced crowd of 13,646 at Xfinity Center on Monday night.

The Terps made 11 of their 17 shots from three-point range and received another solid offensive performance from forward Michal Cekovsky’s 15 points in their 92-66 win. Here are three takeaways from Maryland’s 11th victory of the year.

‘MOST-COMPLETE GAME’

The Terps’ successful start to this season came from their ability to complete late-game comebacks, but Saturday’s game against Saint Peter’s unfolded differently. Maryland dominated the opening period, bringing a 40-18 lead at the break, though its second-half struggles were the reason the Peacocks crawled within 10 before the final buzzer.

Coach Mark Turgeon walked into the Xfinity Center media room after the game disappointed with how his team played down the stretch. He said the players lost concentration, which allowed the Peacocks to finish on a 30-15 run.

“We played a great first half,” Turgeon said. “In the second half we were the exact opposite.”

In Monday’s win, Maryland shot better than 54 percent in both halves en route to amassing its highest scoring total against a Division I opponent this season. Trimble led all scorers with 23 points, but six Terps finished in double figures. Turgeon said it was “the most-complete game” his team has played in a while.

“We guarded well and rebounded,” said forward Ivan Bender, who scored 10 points. “On the offense, we just shared the ball, played with each other.”

The Terps began the game pounding the ball inside, just as they did against Saint Peter’s. By the first media timeout, Cekovsky and Bender each had four points.

That philosophy opened outside shots, and the third-worst three-point shooting team in the Big Ten took advantage. The Terps hit five of their six long balls in the first half, including three from guard Melo Trimble. Guards Anthony Cowan and Dion Wiley also nailed one apiece.

And there was no letdown against Jacksonville State after halftime.

“We finished the game the right way.”

TRIMBLE FINDS HIS SHOT

Much of Trimble’s team-high 17.2 points per game entering Monday came from finishing in the lane or making free throws. He’s struggled with his perimeter shot since hitting 41.2 percent of his threes as a freshman. Entering the Terps’ contest with the Gamecocks, he made 19 of his 61 attempts (31.1 percent) from beyond the arc.

Those woes subsided against Jacksonville State, though, as Trimble made all five of his shots in the first period to lead all scorers with 15 points at the break and help Maryland open a 42-29 halftime lead. That smooth stroke allowed Trimble to score 23 points on 6-for-7 shooting. He also made all seven of his foul shots.

“He poses problems,” Jacksonville State coach Ray Harper said. “He’s an awfully good player. It was just his night.”

Trimble’s had a different mindset after the All-Big Ten performer made it a priority to find his open teammates last outing. Then, he didn’t attempt a shot in the first half and finished with five points on two of four shooting.

His first basket Monday came via a midrange jumper out of the under-eight timeout. On the next possession, Trimble drilled a trey from the right wing. Those five points spearheaded an 8-0 run that helped break open the game.

Two 3-pointers and another jumper later, Trimble received the ball on Maryland’s final possession of the half. He rose and fired, drilling another long ball to cap his perfect first-period shooting performance.

“Melo’s been taking good shots for the post part,” Turgeon said. “A lot of shots have been rolling out so it just doesn’t feel right.

“Today they rolled in.”

THREE-POINT SUCCESS

Turgeon has remained confident about his team’s outside shooting despite its early-season struggles. The Terps entered the game shooting 31.1 percent from 3-point range, but the sixth-year coach maintained those shots would start to fall.

The Terps validated Turgeon’s assertion against Jacksonville State, making 11 of their 17 three-point attempts to keep the Gamecocks from chipping away at their lead.

Trimble paced the team with four triples, while Cowan and Wiley combined to make all five of their three-point baskets. Even guard Jared Nickens, who entered the game shooting 18.8 percent, hit one from deep late in the second half.

Turgeon said his team didn’t get as many open shots as they’ve gotten in past contests. Instead, the players’ shot selection was better. They didn’t settle for the first available three, Turgeon said, which led to even better looks later in the possession.

“Our decision making for the most part was spot on,” Turgeon said. “They made good decisions.”