During the 1994–95 season, the Golden Griffins were led by the team's first MAAC Player of the Year, senior Craig Wise. In the first round of the MAAC tournament, a pair of future Michigan Wolverine coaches opposed each other when Canisius met Loyola, coached by Brian Ellerbe. Canisius won and reached the MAAC semi-final for the fifth time in six years. The team lost in the semis for the third straight season, and it continued its record of never having won the conference tournament. Canisius earned the team's first post-season victory in 32 years, in the 1995 NIT, against . A pair of subsequent wins enabled Canisius to earn a trip to the semifinals of the 1995 NIT at Madison Square Garden. Canisius lost in the semifinals against by a 71–59 despite a school postseason record 32 points from Wise. Canisius lost the consolation game against . The three wins and two losses enabled Beilein to even up his NIT career record at 3–3.