The University of Maine women’s basketball team was preparing to settle in for the bulk of its nine-hour bus ride home from Vestal, N.Y., Saturday afternoon when the Black Bear contingent was confronted with an unexpected delay.

While driving in snowy weather about 90 minutes out of Vestal, N.Y., home of Binghamton University, UMaine witnessed a car accident.

“We saw a [Jeep] Cherokee going southbound flip three times,” recounted UMaine women’s coach Sharon Versyp.

The bus driver immediately pulled over and the Bears staff sprang into action.

“We got out and we helped with the rescue and everything,” Versyp said. “[Assistant coach] Jody [Benner] and [assistant athletic director] Joe [Roberts] went out there, and [trainer] Sherrie [Weeks] and I went out.”

Versyp said three people – a grandmother, a mother and her 10-month-old baby – had been riding in the car that flipped over. The older woman was thrown from the vehicle and the mother suffered a blow to the head.

“Sherrie did a great job,” said Versyp. She helped Weeks tend to the grandmother, who appeared to be the most seriously injured. “Her middle back and her head were killing her.”

In the meantime, Versyp opened the door to the vehicle and found the baby still strapped into its car seat.

“She was fine, but the mom had hit her head,” Versyp said. “The mom and the baby got on the bus to stay warm and I fed the baby.”

Team members shared their blankets with the injured, played with the baby, and tried to help maintain a sense of calm.

“We tried to get everything situated before EMS got there,” Versyp added.

The Bears appeared to handle the difficult situation well, despite sparking thoughts among some team members about how their parents, who were driving in the same storm, were making out.

“I think that it puts life in perspective very quickly,” Versyp said. “I think it was a good story because everybody was OK, but all of us could see that something can be taken away so quickly. Everybody was pretty quiet and solemn, but it was great that we were there to help.”

UMaine finally arrived back in Orono at 4:30 a.m. Sunday. The Bears were scheduled to have Sunday and Monday off before returning to practice this afternoon.

Versyp believes her team needed a couple of days off after having spent almost the entire semester break together.

“It’s real important,” Versyp said. “All they’ve been doing is basketball. [During break] there’s no one else around and they’re not being stimulated [other than with basketball].”

UMaine will begin preparations for Sunday’s contest against league rival New Hampshire at Alfond Arena in Orono. After that, they don’t play again for another seven days.

“We only have one game in two weeks,” Versyp said. “This is where we need to really work on fundamentals and sharpen up.”

The Bears will need to get rested up as they then face a string of seven games in 13 days.