BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — From the sidelines, it is almost as dashing as the signature cream and crimson candy stripes.
Bob Knight may have gone for a standard golf shirt, but the ensemble favored by his former player, IU Men's Basketball head coach Mike Woodson, is more refined.
Woodson's gameday getup is usually - though, not always and we'll get to that later – a black suit paired with a red tie he has worn on the sidelines of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall for every home game this year and twice on the road.
But what may have once been the standard game day attire of a coach doing his job – has turned into something that feels, for many IUBB fans, like an omen of sorts.
That's because when Woodson puts on that suit, fans think, the Indiana Hoosiers can't be beat.
It was a feeling that turned to reality for many with the Hoosiers' 68-65 win over No. 4 ranked Purdue on Thursday night.
In the end, it was not Rob Phinisee's three-pointer with 18 seconds left in the game or even the Hoosiers coming back from a 16-8 deficit – thanks in part to a dunk from Jordan Geromino late in the first half.
For many, it all came down to the suit.
Which also has its own Twitter account.
So, 13News took a look all the games the Hoosiers have played this season, and took a tally of exactly when Woodson wore the suit and when he did not.
Suit superstition, you say? Read on.
Eastern Michigan - Home - Hoosiers Win 68-62
This marked Woodson's first win as the Hoosiers' head coach.
Indiana has won 22 of its last 23 season openers and led this one wire-to-wire, despite a second half effort from the Eastern Michigan Eagles.
Coach Woodson wore the suit.
Northern Illinois University - Home - Hoosiers Win 85-49
Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 19 points and blocked seven shots and Race Thompson finished with a double-double as Indiana rolled to a 85-49 victory over Northern Illinois in nonconference play.
Coach Woodson wore the suit.
St. John's - Home - Hoosiers Win 85-49
The Red Storm visited Indiana’s Assembly Hall for the first time in 29 years and made it memorable, remorselessly whittling a 14-point first-half deficit down to a chance to win at the buzzer.
Coach Woodson wore the suit.
Louisiana - Home - Hoosiers Win 76-44
Indiana beat the Rajin Cajun's 76-44 and brought their season total to 4-0.
Coach Woodson, according to a post-game press conference, wore the suit.
Jackson State - Home - Hoosiers Win 70-35
Xavier Johnson had 14 points and seven rebounds as Indiana held Jackson State to 21% shooting.
The Hoosiers defeated the Tigers 70-35.
Entering the game, Indiana had allowed an average of 20 first-half points and a 22% opponents’ field goal percentage.
Coach Woodson wore the suit.
Marshall - Home - Hoosiers Win 90-79
IU won it's sixth straight game against Marshall on Nov. 27.
Coach Woodson wore the suit.
Syracuse - Away - Hoosiers Lose 110-112 in Double Overtime
Joe Girard made two free throws with 0.8 seconds left in double overtime, and Syracuse beat previously unbeaten Indiana 112-110 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
Syracuse (4-3) won a double-overtime game at home for the first time since Feb. 25, 1971.
Indiana had 25 turnovers and overcame an 18-point, second-half deficit, but didn’t get off a shot at the final buzzer.
This marks the first loss for the Hoosiers this season, the first away game, and the first time Coach Woodson did not wear the suit.
Nebraska - Home - Hoosiers Won 68 - 55
Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 14 points and Tamar Bates came off the bench to score a career-high 13, hitting a trio of 3-pointers as Indiana defeated Nebraska 68-55 to open the Big Ten season.
Jackson-Davis scored 10 points in the second half when Indiana took control, adding seven rebounds, four blocked shots and three steals.
Coach Woodson wore the suit.
Wisconsin - Away - Hoosiers Lose 59-64
Wisconsin trailed 42-20 late in the first half and was down 42-25 at the intermission, but scored the game’s final 11 points. The Badgers outscored Indiana 16-2 over the last 5:50.
Coach Woodson did not wear the suit.
Merrimack - Home - Hoosiers Won 81-49
Woodson wore the suit.
Notre Dame - Indianapolis - Hoosiers Won 64-56
In the second game of the Crossroads Classic at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indiana University took on Notre Dame University.
Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 17 points with 12 rebounds, Parker Stewart added 12 points and Indiana rallied past Notre Dame 64-56.
Coach Woodson wore the suit. This marked the first time he did so away from Assembly Hall.
Northern Kentucky - Home - Hoosiers Win 79-61
Trayce Jackson-Davis made his first three shots, scored 21 points with three dunks and zero turnovers as Indiana cruised to a 79-61 win over Northern Kentucky.
Jackson-Davis was 9-of-11 shooting with six rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots.
Coach Woodson wore the suit.
Penn State - Away - Hoosiers Lose 58-61
Jalen Pickett scored 15 points and Myles Dread shot 4 of 5 — all from 3-point range — and finished with 12 points to help Penn State beat Indiana 61-58 on Jan. 2.
Coach Woodson did not wear the suit.
Ohio State - Home - Hoosiers Win 67-51
IU went on a 13-0 run, while holding No. 13 Ohio State without a field goal for more than five minutes to get the win.
Coach Woodson wore the suit.
Minnesota - Home - Hoosiers Win 73-60
With a Minnesota defense concentrating on Trayce Jackson-Davis, who averages just under 20 points a game, the Hoosiers responded with five players scoring in double figures.
That included Xavier Johnson with 14 points, Rob Phinisee with 13, Parker Stewart with 12 and Race Thompson with 10. Still, Jackson-Davis posted his sixth double-double this season and the 27th of his career.
Coach Woodson wore the suit.
Iowa - Away - Hoosiers Lose 74-83
Indiana threw away an 11-point first half lead and fell to Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Coach Woodson did not wear the suit.
Nebraska - Away - Hoosiers win 78-71
This win was the first on the road for the Hoosiers, who had lost their first four road games this season and eight in a row dating to last season.
Indiana never trailed but the Hoosiers’ lead was just 59-55 with 10:31 to go.
Of the two away game wins the Hoosiers clenched this season, one in Indianapolis and another in Lincoln, both were done when Woodson was in the suit. The other four times they left Assembly Hall, Woodson did not wear a suit and the Hoosiers also did not win.
The Hoosiers remain undefeated at Assembly Hall.
Does 'the suit' a winning team make? Or is it the atmosphere of Assembly Hall guiding the Hoosiers to wins at home? Time will tell.
Their next two games are at home against Michigan and Penn State. The Hoosiers' next away game will be against Maryland at College Park on Saturday, Jan. 29.