After one half of play at the Verizon Center, the Maryland Terrapins lead the Notre Dame Fighting Irish by five points. Mark Turgeon's squad has hung tough with the Irish, clamping down on defense over the final ten minutes of the half for the five point cushion. Leading scorer Terrell Stoglin kept the Terps in the game at the start and finished the first half with 13 points. Stoglin was 2 of 2 from behind the arc and also helped out on the boards, grabbing four rebounds.
With Stoglin keeping it close at the start and establishing an outside threat, the Terps then leaned on James Padgett down low for an inside threat. Padgett finished with seven points and grabbed five boards, battling Notre Dame's front line in the paint.
Without the injured Tim Abromaitis, the Irish have struggled to score, shooting 3 for 12 from three point range in the first half. The Terps enjoyed a a four point halftime lead on Tuesday against Illinois, before mistakes in the second half cost them that game. They will need to keep up the defensive pressure and hope Stoglin and Padgett stay hot to improve to 4-3.
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