UNCASVILLE, Conn. - Jamie Carey hit a jumper with 2 minutes left and a pair of free throws in the closing seconds to lift the Connecticut Sun to an 80-76 victory over the Seattle Storm in a battle of conference leaders on Sunday.

The Sun (19-10) won their sixth straight game to take a 1 1/2-game lead over Detroit in the Eastern Conference. They also tied San Antonio for the best record in the league. Asjha Jones led Connecticut with 20 points, Amber Holt had 15, and Tamika Whitmore and Carey added 12 apiece.

Seattle (18-10) fell a half-game behind San Antonio for the lead in the Western Conference. Sue Bird led the Storm with 24 points. Swin Cash had 16 and Yolanda Griffith added 12.

Carey played a season-high 32 minutes in place of starting point guard Lindsay Whalen, who missed the game with a sprained ankle.

Whitmore made a free throw with 2:38 left to give Connecticut a 76-72 lead. Griffith responded with two free throws to cut the lead to two before Carey made an 8-foot jumper to give the Sun a 78-74 lead.

Bird made a steal with 31 seconds remaining to get the Storm within two. Seattle had a chance to tie late, but committed a turnover with 2.7 seconds left.

Connecticut coach Mike Thibault was honored before the game for his role as an assistant coach with the women's U.S. Olympic team. The Sun also recognized Bird, Connecticut's Erin Phillips, who played for Australia, and the Sun's Svetlana Abrosimova, who represented Russia.

Seattle played without forward Lauren Jackson, the Australian Olympian who had surgery to her right ankle last week.

Connecticut scored six straight points and had a 36-32 lead late in the first half before Cash's 3-pointer at the horn cut it to 36-35 at halftime. It was her first 3 of the season.