Colchester — Bacon Academy senior Marissa Nudd wanted to make good on a second chance against the New London girls’ basketball team, which has been the queen of the sport around these here parts for some time now.

When Nudd saw teammate junior Cara Shea start to strip the ball for a steal on one end of the floor late in Wednesday night’s game, she broke the other direction behind the New London defense.

“I knew in a game like this you have to take chances,” Nudd smiled.

Nudd turned a long pass from Shea into a go-ahead layup with 2 minutes, 8 seconds left in regulation and added late two free throws as Bacon rallied to beat the Whalers, 54-51, and prevent the latter from clinching a share of the Eastern Connecticut Conference Division II title.

“I really wanted this one,” Nudd said.

The Bobcats (16-3, 5-2) had lost at New London, 46-35, on Feb. 2.

Nudd finished with 19 points and four steals. She scored her final two points at the line with 1.9 seconds remaining.

“It think it was fitting that Marissa Nudd was at the line to seal that game,” Bacon head coach Kevin Fennell said. “She thought that New London is the standard for the ECC and she wanted to prove that we were up there with the top teams.

“That was one of her goals this year, to play with New London, and she was there at the end there. I’m proud of her. I’m happy to see her do that.”

Freshman Alannah Baehr had 14 points and six rebounds for Bacon and junior Emily Ferrigno scored 10. Freshman Skyelyn Schoen-Rene added seven rebounds and Shea had five assists.

New London (12-6, 5-1) could clinch at least a share of the ECC Division II title with a home win over Waterford on Friday.

“We didn’t execute the way we needed to,” Whalers head coach Tammy Millsaps said. “We were up in the second (half) and late in the fourth quarter. We turned the ball over during crucial moments and it cost us the game.”

Senior Nalyce Dudley scored a game-high 22 with three steals for New London while junior Italia Salls made five 3-pointers for 15 points.

Sophomore Serenity Lancaster added 10 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks for the Whalers and freshman Nyarah Dudley had 10 rebounds.

New London went on a 9-0 run to go ahead, 43-34, with 3 minutes, 50 seconds left in the third quarter. Lancaster scored six during that run.

Bacon slowly clawed its way back. Baehr made a three from atop the arc to cut its deficit to 51-50 with 2:27 remaining in the game.

Shea followed moments later with her steal for Nudd’s go-ahead layup.

The Bobcats proceeded to survive a manic finish. They turned the ball over on an inbounds play with 58.9 seconds left, but Ferrigno forced a turnover with 23.5 seconds remaining.

Bacon missed the front end of a 1-and-1 twice in the final 21 seconds, too.

New London missed a late three and Nudd was fouled with 1.9 seconds left and went to the line.

“I’ve been in situations like that before,” Nudd said. “It was pretty stressful but I think I was ready for it. I think I was.”

n.griffen@theday.com