The Bridgewater State University women’s basketball team put together one of the best regular seasons in program history.

The Bears went 21-3, including 11-1 to win the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference title for a second year in a row, are receiving votes in the national Div. 3 poll and are ranked fifth in the Northeast Region.

Armed with that strong portfolio, BSU ventures into the postseason on Thursday night at 7 p.m., hosting No. 5 Fitchburg State/No. 4 Framingham State in the semifinal round of the MASCAC tournament at the Tinsley Center.

After reigning in 2011 and 2012, the top-seeded Bears are trying to become only the second school to win three straight MASCAC tourney championships. Salem State claimed 16 of the first 17 titles after the tourney began in 1990.

BSU, which has won nine straight games, is again the favorite to earn the conference’s automatic berth in the NCAA Div. 3 tourney, which opens a week from Friday.

“I think we definitely have that bull’s eye on our backs,’’ said Bears coach Bridgett Casey. “This is how (former coach) Tim Shea and Salem State felt for years and years, and obviously they won a lot more than we have.

“It’s nice to be at that point. We’ve been at the top the past couple of years, and the bull’s eye gets bigger and bigger. Teams want to be the one that beat you, and we have to make sure we don’t let our guard down.’’

BSU has won 15 of its last 16 games since being edged by Tufts University, which is now ranked fourth in the country, by one point on Dec. 18. The Bears’ only blemish in the MASCAC was against second-place Worcester State, which overcame a 17-point first-half deficit to win a month ago.

“This team has been very focused,’’ said Casey. “It’s a team that has been successful for three years in a row. They’ve climbed up the ladder to cut down the nets and they know what they want to do.’’

BSU was the No. 1 seed a year ago and won a pair of home games to take the MASCAC tournament and move on to the NCAAs.

The Bears have plenty of experience, which will come in handy now that the postseason is at hand.

“I think it’s going to help this week and beyond,’’ said Casey. “We’ve had some tough games and some halves this season and we’ve had to come from behind to win games.