Director of Athletics Jack Kvancz said today that he has been told President Obama is “interested” in attending Saturday’s men’s basketball game against Oregon State, which is coached by the president’s brother-in-law, Craig Robinson.

“At this time, nobody has said to me that he’s coming,” Kvancz said, adding that he is not likely to receive any official word from the White House until late Friday or early Saturday. He also said that he has not heard anything regarding other members of the Obama family attending the game.

Kvancz said that members of the president’s security team came to Smith Center this week to do preliminary preparations should the president choose to attend.

“There’s a side of me that says they’d have to do that work anyway,” Kvancz said, explaining the security presence does not necessarily indicate a commitment to attend. He added that the steps taken by Obama’s team this week were more extensive than when when President Clinton came to see a GW game in 1995, though he noted that “times have changed.”

While he is yet to know anything definite, Kvancz did offer one piece of advice:

“I’d say don’t miss the game.”

Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.