NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Drake University women's basketball team suffered its fourth straight loss on Tuesday night. The Bulldogs could not overcome a stumbling start against Arkansas as the Razorbacks went on to win the two teams' Music City Classic debut by a 79-72 margin.
 
Drake's first quarter woes continued in its opening game of the Music City Classic as the Razorbacks of Arkansas jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead. A shot clock violation added to the early Arkansas (6-1) swing and prompted Suzie Glazer Burt Head Coach Allison Pohlman to spend a timeout with just over seven minutes left in the first.
 
The Razorbacks added two freebies out of the T.O. before Quinn Vice was able to put one in off glass for the Bulldogs' first score of the night. Vice scored the next Bulldog bucket a few possessions later with a deep 3-pointer from the wing. Fellow freshman Anna Becker chipped in a jumper in the key before Ava Hawthorne and Brooklin Dailey connected on a fast break to cut into the Arkansas advantage.
 
Dailey added another from distance to get Drake (1-4) even closer, but the Razorbacks led 20-12 after the first 10 minutes of action.
 
Arkansas rebuilt a cushion to start the second, scoring seven of the first nine points in the period. Ava Hawthorne helped stem the tide with a pair of free throws and a transition two. Despite a noticeable shift in energy, the Bulldogs still trailed 43-26 at the half.
 
Abbie Aalsma and Grace Knutson began the second half with seven combined points including a smooth 3-point jumper from the latter. Arkansas was able to maintain its buffer with a trio of buckets on the other end, but Drake began to find a little rhythm. Vice continued her career day with another deep ball to cut the difference to 14 just before the third quarter media break.
 
Knutson canned another triple as the Razorbacks amped up their full-court press. Anna Becker then failed to convert an old fashioned 3-point play, but Maggie Taylor came up with a physical offensive rebound to keep the ball on Drake's end of the floor. Becker then fed Knutson for another trey from the corner pocket as the third quarter timer wound to a close.
 
Arkansas led 61-46 after three despite being outscored 20-18 in the frame.
 
Knutson and Aalsma got inside for a couple more scores to trim the lead down to 10, but the steady Razorbacks answered on the other end.
 
Trailing by 16 with around five minutes left, Dailey came up with a big defensive play. She slid in front of a driving Ashlynn Charlson to take a charge. The Bulldogs looked to use that play as a spark for their final comeback effort.
 
Quinn Vice started the rally with four straight points, and an eventual 3-pointer. The game clock evaporated under a minute as Drake got within a dozen on a Dailey up-and-under followed by a pair of Peyton McCabe free throws. Shannon Fornshell buried a deep three as time expired, cutting the deficit to seven, but Arkansas had too much for the Dogs to climb all the way back.
 
The Razorbacks earned a 79-72 win in the two teams' Music City Classic debut.
 
"I was pleased with the second half effort for sure," Pohlman said. "We played a team today that pressured us a little bit more, got in our space a little more, and we didn't handle that very well. I know those are growth pieces and we'll look back in January or February and be thankful for these opportunities, but we all really want to figure things out."
 
Quinn Vice had a career day to lead all scorers with 21 points including three made 3-pointers and nine total field goals. Grace Knutson also buried three treys in a 15-point effort while Brooklin Dailey rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11.
 
Maggie Taylor and Abbie Aalsma were all square atop the Bulldogs rebounding list with five. Peyton McCabe dished out six assists.
 
Drake will be back in action tomorrow afternoon against Northern Kentucky to close their stint at the Music City Classic. The Bulldogs and Norse will tip things off at 1:15 p.m.
 
 
Notes

• The Bulldogs fell to 1-4 on the season after Tuesday's result.
• Drake is now 28-20 in multi-team events dating back to 2000.
• The Bulldogs again got things going in the second half, outscoring Arkansas 46-36 over the final 20 minutes.
• Drake closed the game on a 9-0 run capped by a Shannon Fornshell buzzer-beater from distance to lop the deficit to single digits.
• Quinn Vice had a career day to lead all scorers with 21 points including three made 3-pointers and nine total field goals.
• Grace Knutson also buried three treys in a 15-point effort.
• Brooklin Dailey rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11.
• Maggie Taylor and Abbie Aalsma were all square atop the Bulldogs rebounding list with five.
• Peyton McCabe dished out a team high six assists.
• Drake is now 1-3 all-time against Arkansas. Tuesday was the first meeting between the squads since 1999.