That's a great argument for not firing Groce after last season with Whitman just a week into his new job, and one I agreed with at the time and still agree with.
This team could have and should have been good enough to save Groce's job. It still is.
It was not one week, it was actually a 1.5 months. Furthermore, it did not prohibit Whitman to make a change and look for football coach even on a shorter timeframe.
I thought Whitman had plenty of reasons to fire Groce last season, disaster of a season (despite injuries) and myriad of off-court problems.
As far as this season, not sure of the argument that people make that "squeeze into the tournament" and all is peaches and cream, Groce receives a multi-year guarantee contract, recruiting foodgates open, etc. I find little difference in those elements even with Groce squeezing into the tournament. As said many times, I am also not sure as others that if we squeeze out of the tournament (and and up at NIT) the outcome may be significant different. I am not claiming that if Groce indeed makes the NIT, he will or will not get fired, he may very well get fired, but I still have doubts that is a such a done deal as others make it out to be.