ASP.NET/VB: Username and password with HttpWebRequest

Using ASP.NET/VB, how can I provide a username and password for basic authentication?

<%@ Page Language="VB" %>
<%@Import namespace="System"%>
<%@Import namespace="System.Web"%>
<%@Import namespace="System.Net"%>
<%@Import namespace="System.Xml"%>
<%@Import namespace="System.IO"%>
<%@Import namespace="System.Text"%>
<%

Dim postString as String = "{}"

Dim webRequest As HttpWebRequest = TryCast(WebRequest.Create("http://example.com/"), HttpWebRequest)
webRequest.USERNAME = "usernamex"
webRequest.PASSWORD = "passwordx"
webRequest.Method = "POST"
webRequest.ContentType = "application/json"
webRequest.ContentLength = postString.Length
webRequest.Accept = "application/json"
Dim requestWriter As New StreamWriter(webRequest.GetRequestStream())
requestWriter.Write(postString)
requestWriter.Close()

%>

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