Diarra and Simmons are expected to play

Call it stranger than fiction. Not only will USC play host to an NAIA team in a rare December exhibition game today, the Trojans also could welcome a long-absent 7-footer back into the fold.

Freshman center Mamadou Diarra, who has not played since undergoing hernia surgery on Nov. 5, is expected to play against Fresno Pacific at the Galen Center. His “official” season debut is scheduled for Dec. 17 against Delaware State since tonight’s game against the Sunbirds doesn’t count.

Freshman guard Marcus Simmons, who has been sidelined since aggravating his sprained ankle last month, also could play for the first time since the South Carolina game on Nov. 17.

“I probably will throw them out there and let them play a little bit,” USC Coach Tim Floyd said.

“I don’t know how that will translate into the next three games [before Pacific 10 Conference play starts], but we’ll probably let them play a little bit.”

Diarra led all scorers with 18 points during a Midnight Madness scrimmage in October in which he thrived in transition, but he didn’t fare as well during a subsequent intrasquad scrimmage, scoring only five points and fouling out in 37 minutes.

Simmons, who has a reputation as a strong defender, scored 10 points during the Midnight Madness scrimmage but has played sparingly since. He has gone scoreless in 11 minutes during two regular-season games.

Floyd said former Trojans standouts Nick Young and Gabe Pruitt should send Fresno Pacific Coach Jim Saia part of their NBA paychecks “for having the courage to play them over the seniors in a situation where he’s the interim coach” at USC during the 2004-05 season.

“He could have tried to build his resume and win more games, keep the seniors happy and not had distractions or disruptions,” Floyd said of Saia, “but he did the right thing for USC playing those kids as freshmen. We benefited from it as a staff because they came in a little more seasoned the second year and certainly grew to where most seniors are as juniors.”

An MRI exam on sophomore forward Kyle Austin’s back revealed no structural damage “but some issues that we have to take care of,” trainer Bobby Walls said.

“Right now he’s not at a percentage where he can perform at this level without making it worse, so we just have to back off and rest him and treat him and try to do the best we can to get him better,” Walls said.

There is no timetable for the return of Austin, who injured his back Nov. 21 and has not played since the Trojans’ opener against Mercer.

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TODAY

vs. Fresno Pacific, 5 p.m.

Site -- Galen Center.

Radio -- 710.

Records -- Fresno Pacific 7-2, USC 6-3.

Update -- Floyd said he intended to use a lot of reserves in the exhibition against the Sunbirds, meaning that walk-ons Ryan Wetherell and Terence Green could log extended minutes and freshman standouts O.J. Mayo and Davon Jefferson could have early exits. Floyd said he would have a lower tolerance for turnovers after a second-half stretch against Memphis in which five of six USC possessions ended in turnovers. “We’ve got to get to where it bothers us as much to turn the ball over as it does to miss a shot,” Floyd said.

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ben.bolch@latimes.com