<
>

Timeline: Niagara's Nightmare Bus Trip

play
Niagara's Coach On Being Stranded (3:31)

Niagara women's basketball coach Kendra Faustin discusses the struggles her squad has gone through on the team bus since being stranded by a snowstorm on a highway outside Buffalo. (3:31)

On Monday night while returning from a loss at Pittsburgh, the Niagara women's basketball team found itself stranded on the New York State Thruway because of a devastating snowstorm. The players' horrific ordeal lasted for more than 24 hours before they were rescued by the state police early Wednesday morning. Here is a timeline of their nightmare journey home, including tweets and updates from the players and coaches on the bus.

9 p.m. Monday

The Purple Eagles fall to the Panthers 70-54 at the Petersen Events Center.

10 p.m. Monday

The team boards the bus and hits the road for what is typically a four-hour drive to Lewiston, New York.

1 a.m. Tuesday

The bus first encounters the dangerous winter storm wreaking havoc on western and central New York but continues to drive through the conditions on the New York Thruway.

2 a.m. Tuesday

The rapidly accumulating snow becomes impossible to pass through. Along with hundreds of other motorists, the bus becomes stranded in West Seneca, New York.

8 a.m. Tuesday

Still stranded, director of basketball operations Rene'e Polka continues to share the team's nightmare with the public on Twitter.

9:45 a.m. Tuesday

Still stuck.

11 a.m. Tuesday

The story starts gaining the attention of local media outlets.

2 p.m. Tuesday

As local and national media outlets begin reporting the story, the hashtag #NUWBBStrandedOnBus starts trending on Twitter.

3:24 p.m. Tuesday

The state police arrive via snowmobile with updates but no immediate plans to rescue the squad.

3:30 p.m. Tuesday

Clearly desperate to find ways to pass the time, the group takes and shares sad selfies from the bus.

4:55 p.m. Tuesday

The team runs out of food and water.

5:44 p.m. Tuesday

The bus remains snowed in and there seems to be little to no timetable about a potential rescue.

8:30 p.m. Tuesday

The team's story has been shared everywhere from "SportsCenter" to The Weather Channel. Despite the publicity, it is still stuck.

9:30 p.m. Tuesday

The team is beyond grateful when a group of rescue workers stop by with snacks.

10 p.m. Tuesday

The Purple Eagles commemorate being on the bus for 24 hours with another series of sad selfies and pictures and a prayer circle.

10:30 p.m. Tuesday

Along with dozens of cars around them, they are still stranded. A woman in a nearby car reportedly gives birth while stuck, according to multiple players.

1:43 a.m. Wednesday

State troopers -- armed with water and granola bars -- are able to rescue the coaches' young children and a driver of a nearby car whom the team invited to sit on the bus. The team remains on the bus.

4 a.m. Wednesday

After 26 hours of being stranded on the Thruway, the team is finally rescued by the New York state police.