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VIDEO - Conley's go-ahead basket
WIAC Championship Web Page

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's basketball team clinched its third straight appearance in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship title game Friday with a thrilling 53-51 victory over No. 25 UW-La Crosse in a semifinal at Kachel Gymnasium.
 
With the win, the Warhawks (18-8 overall) earned a chance for their third consecutive conference tournament championship. They'll travel to No. 14 UW-Oshkosh Sunday for a 2 p.m. tipoff. The Titans defeated UW-Stout 61-58 on Friday night.
 
With the game tied at 51-51 in the waning moments, junior guard Camri Conley (Sugar Grove, Ill./Kaneland) drove right from the left wing, pump faked and scored off glass from the right block to put the Warhawks ahead with 3.8 seconds left.
 
UW-La Crosse (22-5) called a timeout to advance the ball past half court, but an errant pass was batted around inside the 3-point line before Conley grabbed the loose ball just as time expired.
 
Junior guard Becky Raeder (Sheboygan Falls, Wis./Sheboygan Falls) drilled five 3-pointers on her way to a game-high 15 points to go along with seven rebounds and two steals. Sophomore guard Emily Schumacher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha South) tallied 13 points, four rebounds and two steals, and senior forward Sarah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) posted nine points and five rebounds. Senior forward Olivia Freckmann (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds to go with her four points and three assists.
 
UW-Whitewater started strong, building a 13-4 lead seven minutes into the first quarter. Emily Schumacher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha South) knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to make it a 19-6 advantage at the 1:05 mark, but the Eagles scored the final four points of the period.
 
Senior center Becky Deichl (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) hit a jumper, and Raeder put in a 3-pointer to make it 24-10 two minutes into the second quarter. UW-La Crosse drew to within eight by the 2:57 mark, but Raeder hit a 3-pointer and Conley converted a 3-point play for a 33-19 lead. The two teams traded buckets to close the half.
 
The Warhawks let their 14-point halftime lead slip away as the Eagles outscored them 23-5 in the third quarter, and UW-La Crosse led by four heading to the fourth quarter.
 
Neither team was able to gain separation in the fourth quarter. Raeder's 3-pointer with 8:05 remaining made it a one-possession game, and the contest remained within one basket the rest of the way.
 
The Eagles held a 51-49 advantage after a basket with 3:16 left, but UW-Whitewater tied the game for the fourth time in the period on a pair of free throws by Emily Schumacher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha South) with 1:42 on the clock.
 
Schmacher continued her momentum on the defensive end, forcing a turnover and calling timeout with 22 seconds remaining to set up Conley's late-game heroics.