Chicago - Allison Hightower made sure the Connecticut Sun went into the month-long Olympic break on a high note Friday night, hitting a driving layup with eight seconds left in overtime to lift the Sun past the Chicago Sky 80-78.

Hightower's basket, assisted by Renee Montgomery, gave the Sun a 79-78 lead after Sylvia Fowles' pair of free throws gave Chicago the lead at the 19-second mark. Connecticut's Kara Lawson hit a free throw with three seconds remaining for the final margin.

"You would have thought we had won a championship," Montgomery said, "but I think everybody was just excited. We've come a long way ... it was a big game for us maturity-wise."

The score was tied 66-66 at the end of regulation, with Lawson hitting two foul shots with 24 seconds to go to force overtime. The Sun outscored Chicago 26-13 in the fourth quarter after trailing 53-40.

Tina Charles, who will be a member of the U.S. Olympic team along with Sun teammate Asjha Jones, led Connecticut with 25 points and 13 rebounds and Mistie Mims started and added 19 points and 10 rebounds against her former team.

Sun coach Mike Thibault gave Jones the night off.

Montgomery added 15 points off the bench for the Sun, who head into the break in first place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 15-4. Connecticut is 8-1 on the road.

"I think at the start of the season you're hoping you're in the hunt," said Thibault. "To have 15 wins is probably more than we expected.

Fowles led Chicago (8-9) with 20 points and 10 rebounds.