PISCATAWAY – The warning signs were there through the first four games: porous perimeter defense, insufficient post play, a weak bench, no playmaking point guard and an overreliance on one guy to score.

It all came to roost Friday as Rutgers basketball got bulldozed by Central Connecticut State 67-54 before a stunned crowd of about 6,000 at Jersey Mike’s Arena.

The young Scarlet Knights were going to experience growing pains, but this was closer to a burst appendix than a stomach ache. They head to Las Vegas for Feast Week with a 4-1 record and the start of an uphill stretch that looks like Mount Everest at the moment – potentially six straight contests against high-majors, including three of the best teams in the country.

Central Connecticut State, which was picked to finish second i

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