Update - 9:20 a.m. ET
Around 4 a.m. ET, the team was finally rescued after 26 hours on board the bus. By 5:45 a.m. the team was headed back to campus.
On our way back to campus now! pic.twitter.com/urg4bYAhiD— NiagaraWBB (@NiagaraWBB) November 19, 2014
Original story:
The Niagara University women's basketball team has been trapped for more than 24 hours on a highway as a heavy snowstorm pummels New York state.
The team isn't alone. More than 100 vehicles have been stranded along a 132-mile stretch of the Thruway, the main highway across New York, due to white-out conditions.
As the hours tick by, team members gather in prayer.
We have been praying each hour. It has now been 24 hours. Keep us in your prayers #NUWBBstrandedonbus pic.twitter.com/hWR2fCOkEB— jamie (@jimmbo_10) November 19, 2014
The epic snowstorm that stalled their bus on the way home from a game in Pittsburgh on Monday night has dumped more than five feet of snow in parts of upstate New York, buried cars and killed four people. States of emergency have been enacted throughout Eerie County.
@KingJames plz help us get this trending #NUWBBstrandedonbus #NUWBBstrandedonbus we've been stuck on the bus 4 20hrs pic.twitter.com/tZ1S73folB— #Grind2Shine (@_TC3__) November 18, 2014
Niagara coach Kendra Faustin told The Associated Press that the bus has enough gas and power to last a few more days.
"We have snacks, some granola bars and pretzels," Faustin said. "We found six bottles of water and have been rationing it. We thought we'd be here for a couple hours and a couple of hours turned into 12 hours. It's now 24 hours."
Spoke with state police. They are pulling people out of cars unconscious. We are so blessed to be warm and together. #NUWBBstrandedonbus— Kendra Faustin (@kfaustin) November 19, 2014
Some people also stopped by the bus and brought the team chips, crackers and other snacks.
The team, which has been watching movies and caught the Duke-Michigan State men's basketball game, has asked not to be rescued, according to news reports.
Erie County says #NUWBBstrandedonbus "has chosen to stay on the bus. ... Everyone on the bus is safe and there are no reported issues."— Alex Johnson (@MAlexJohnson) November 19, 2014
Meanwhile, more than 100 Twitter accounts have tweeted about the team's predicament in the past hour, according to analytics site Topsy.
Thoughts with @NiagaraWBB as they have been stuck on a bus for 24+ hours. Probably the greatest excuse for missing class #NUWBBstrandedonbus— Aaron Cheris (@AaronHowie) November 19, 2014
Sending warm thoughts and hopes of snacks & wifi to @NiagaraWBB ! Hang in there @kfaustin ! #NUWBBstrandedonbus— Coastal Basketball (@CCUWBB) November 19, 2014
Send some love to the Niagara Women's Basketball Team! Stranded in a bus in this monster storm. Hang in There! @NiagaraWBB— Lucy Moynihan (@lmmoynihan) November 19, 2014