The Iowa men’s basketball team announced the addition of two walk-ons to the 2011-12 squad on Tuesday.

Guards Steven McCarty and Kyle Denning will fill the final two spots on Fran McCaffery’s roster, and have been working out with the team for about a month.

McCarty, a sophomore from Auburn Hills, Mich., averaged 14 points, five assists, and three steals during his senior year at West Bloomfield High. He led the Lakers in assists his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons.

The 6-0, 155 pound McCarty gained some experience against Division-I talent by playing in the Prime Time League this past summer. He averaged 6.6 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game in North Liberty.

"It was a good experience," McCarty said in a release. "I got to see how my new teammates play. It was a different pace for me because I had a year off from playing, so it was good to get back at it."

McCarty is the cousin of Iowa guard Roy Devyn Marble, and said he’s looking forward to playing with the current Hawkeye sophomore.

"We never really got to play with each other growing up unless it was a pick-up game, but now that we’re on the same team, it’s really special," he said.

Denning is a freshman from Cedar Falls, Iowa. Standing at 6-2, 150 pounds, he was named the 2010 Iowa basketball class 1A player of the year.  

Denning owns several school records at Northern University High, including career assists (264), steals (261), single-season steals (114), and 3-pointers made (187).

"I thought this would be a good opportunity for me to make myself the best player I can be," he said. "I’m going to try and be a good practice player and push the guys to get them ready for games."

— by Ben Schuff