After defeating George Washington in their regular season finale on Feb. 26, the UMass women’s basketball team completed a turnaround for the ages and earned the No. 7 seed in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament.

The Minutewomen won just four regular season games a year ago en route to a 5-27 record. This winter, UMass is 16-13 and 11-7 in the A-10. Its opponent for the second round (UMass earned a first-round bye) is No. 10 Saint Louis, which the Minutewomen will play on Thursday evening at 5 p.m. at the Henrico Sports & Events Center in Glen Allen, Va.

In UMass’ one and only game against the Billikens this year, it traveled to Missouri to capture a 72-55 win behind a monster performance of 21 points and 12 rebounds from Stefanie Kulesza. Saint Louis got past No. 15 St. Bonaventure, 60-50, in the opening round of the A-10 tourney on Wednesday.

But playoff basketball is a different beast, and head coach Mike Leflar understands that having been on the bench as an assistant for UMass’ tournament success this decade.

Leflar revamped the Minutewomen roster this year, bringing in transfers Allie Palmieri, MoMo LaClair, Megan Olbrys and others as well as Yahmani McKayle, a freshman, to team up with Stefanie Kulesza and Co. This group has played with an energy and chemistry that just wasn’t there in the 2023-24 season. UMass is hoping that can carry over to some tournament wins.

The top four seeds of the A-10 tourney are Richmond (No. 1), George Mason (No. 2), Davidson (No. 3) and Saint Joseph’s (No. 4). The Spiders won the tournament last season and are the favorites to do so again as they carry a dominant 17-1 record into the postseason. Their only loss came to Fordham (80-78) in the second conference game of the year.

If UMass wins, it will play George Mason in Friday’s quarterfinals at 5 p.m. In UMass’ lone game with George Mason this year, the Minutewomen lost 76-66 on the road.