Over the years in college basketball, the Atlantic 10 conference has skirted the line between a mid-major conference’s revenue and a high-major conference’s success.

In the 1990s, John Chaney’s Temple teams and John Calipari’s UMass squads staged epic battles, with both schools inevitably reaching the NCAA tournament. In 2004, St. Joseph’s rolled all the way to an undefeated regular season and an Elite Eight appearance, where an upstart conference-mate, Xavier, joined the Hawks. Yet for all the wins on the résumés of coaches such as Chaney and Calipari; for all the exciting players such as Marcus Camby, Mark Macon, and Jameer Nelson, and for all the individual teams that have fared well over the years, the A-10 always seems to peak with two legitimate contenders in a given season.

This year, though, that could all change. At press time, three Atlantic-10 teams — Dayton, Xavier, and Rhode Island — ranked in the Associated Press’s top-25 rankings. Two more A-10 teams, St. Joseph’s and UMass, own the experience, talent, and record to make a strong case for tournament consideration should they stay on the right track. If the conference sends four teams to the big dance this season, it would be a first for the A-10 — and a surprise to no one who’s followed this year’s surge.

While many teams from power conferences and smaller circuits alike have gotten fat on weak nonconference schedules, several A-10 contenders instead tested their mettle against national powers. Xavier faced the toughest road: The Musketeers came within a free throw of knocking off eventual national runner-up Ohio State in the second round of last year’s NCAA tournament. With several key veterans from that battle-tested team returning to play the new season, Xavier has stocked its slate this season with a number of talented opponents. Facing then-no. 8 Indiana in an early-season tournament in Chicago — a virtual home game for the Hoosiers — Xavier scored a resounding 15-point win. The Musketeers also crushed Kansas State (and potential no. 1 NBA pick, Michael Beasley) by 26, and routed Virginia by 38. Even in its 82–75 loss to no. 12 Tennessee last month, Xavier hung in for most of the game and nearly knocked off an elite SEC squad.

Still, Xavier’s success is nothing new, with the Muskies having made six of the past seven tournaments. What is new is Dayton’s rise to power. The Flyers have often settled for second-class citizen status in the A-10. But Dayton announced its presence as a national contender early this season: First, the Flyers rolled into Freedom Hall, bouncing then-no. 11 Louisville, 70–65. Then, in its final game of the 2007 calendar year, Dayton crushed then-no. 6 Pitt, 80–55. Sure, the Panthers were shorthanded due to injuries. But an unheralded A-10 team whacking a traditional Big East power by 25 nearly two months into the season is always newsworthy.

The schedules played by Rhode Island, UMass, and St. Joe’s look a little weaker by comparison. But the Rams still beat Syracuse on the road, smoked Providence by 17 in a heated intrastate battle, and just missed beating Boston College in Chestnut Hill. UMass already owns road wins over both Syracuse and Boston College, and they fought gamely before succumbing to a loaded Vanderbilt team at Vandy. St. Joe’s lost by a combined eight points to then-ranked Syracuse and Gonzaga. But the Hawks are one of just three teams to start the A-10 season at 2–0 in-conference, with a big win at UMass last week as its showcase victory.

The conference’s elevated status can also be measured by the number of top-flight players that take the court every night. Dayton’s Brian Roberts might be the early favorite for A-10 Player of the Year honors — he’s definitely the biggest reason that a Sweet 16 run looks well within reach for the Flyers. Roberts has been averaging better than 20 points a game so far this season, including 26.5 in his first two A-10 games. He’s reserved some of his most impressive showings for the biggest games: 28 points against Louisville, 31 against Pittsburgh, and 23 in the conference opener against Rhode Island. UMass fifth-year senior Gary Forbes, Xavier point guard Drew Lavender, Rhode Island forward Will Daniels, and St. Joe’s swingman Pat Calathes are also good enough players to be major contributors for North Carolina, UCLA, or any other big-name team.

The most exciting development has been the early buzz generated within the conference. A rowdy crowd of 13,435 stuffed into the University of Dayton Arena last week to see no. 17 Dayton host no. 22 Rhode Island. The game lived up its billing: After Dayton exploded for 54 points in the first half, Rhode Island came storming back, riding a 29–19 run to pull within three on the hot shooting of Daniels and Jimmy Baron. But Roberts’s 23 points and seven assists helped the Flyers pull out a 92–83 win.

The game featured the high level of play and intensity usually reserved for March Madness. If the A-10’s elite continues on this path, Dayton, Rhode Island, and others will experience the real deal soon enough.

Mr. Keri (jonahkeri@gmail.com) is a writer for ESPN.com’s Page 2.