Early in Talor Battle’s freshman year at Penn State, he struggled to score.

Battle took — and missed — a lot of shots. Yet Penn State coach Ed DeChellis was never worried. He knew what he had in Battle.

Battle, now a senior, is one of the best players in the Big Ten and one of the best guards in the country. Within the confines of Penn State basketball, he is among the best players ever.

DeChellis recognized Battle's potential as a high school player, even though Battle broke his ankle the summer before his junior year and other coaches backed off recruiting him. When higher profile programs eventually returned to recruit him, Battle stuck with DeChellis and Penn State.

“He had an air of confidence about him and he had a lot of intangibles that you can’t coach in the sense that he knew a lot of stuff,” DeChellis said about Battle’s freshman year. “(He) had a great feel for the game and just his natural instincts were really overwhelming, so we knew we had something special.”

It could be considered an odd choice considering Penn State has little basketball tradition and no history of winning. And even adding Battle hasn’t led to massive success.

In his three years at Penn State, the Nittany Lions have flirted with the NCAA tournament once in 2009. They missed it and ended up winning the NIT.

Now, as Battle’s college career starts to wind down, there are no regrets of what could have been or whether he would have been a mega-watt star at another, more established program.

“I’m happy, you know. I’ve accomplished many things individually here at Penn State. Do I wish I could have made it to NCAA one of my first two years? Definitely,” Battle said. “My sophomore year we were right there and had a shot to get in. We go to the NIT and win the championship.

“It’s been a great experience, been some ups and some downs, but it has made me a better person. I understand, not making a habit to lose, but you're learning how everything is not always sunny. A nd sometimes it’s tough, and it’s how you respond.”

That attitude fits Battle’s game. There are times during his career, especially last season, where he was Penn State’s only option to score. If the Nittany Lions were going to win, it was because he had a huge night.

Throughout it all, he has gained respect throughout the Big Ten. Last year, opposing players he knew, including former Ohio State star Evan Turner, texted him telling him to stay positive.

Guarding him is next to impossible. He has speed that Michigan coach John Beilein compared to “trying to guard Denard Robinson out there.” But if you sag too much, Battle will shoot over you and make 3-pointers.

He is very much the do-everything point guard most teams would covet.

“You don’t know when he’s going to shoot it,” Michigan guard Zack Novak said. “He has beyond a green light, I don’t know what to call it.

“He can take any shot and makes any shot. That’s the hardest part with him.”

Novak and Michigan, who Battle faces Sunday (4 p.m., Big Ten Network), haven’t seen him this season. So they will learn he’s gotten better.

Battle almost left Penn State after last season, declaring for the NBA Draft. He said earlier this week he would have left if scouts told him he was ready for the league. What he heard, though, sent him back to State College both surprised and focused.

Essentially, they told him he wasn’t ready yet.

“It was very humbling after all that I accomplished in the Big Ten, as far as all I’ve done in my career and you get here and it isn’t enough,” Battle said. “It’s definitely a humbling experience and it lets you know how good these guys in the NBA really, truly are.”

Now, he’s working harder to become one of them. Battle is averaging 20.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists a game. He’s also shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from the 3-point line.

He’s also developed more of his leadership ability, trying to give his teammates — the players who could help him reach that elusive NCAA tournament if Penn State puts together a Big Ten run — confidence.

It showed during Penn State’s 69-60 win over Indiana on Monday, when the Nittany Lions pulled out a rare Big Ten road win and led almost the whole way.

“When they made little runs he kept everybody calm during timeouts,” DeChellis said. “And then (he) got into some guys ‘We’re going to get this done’ and made a basketball play and we were able to do that.

“His confidence level is starting to rub off on some other guys.”

Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein