Duke basketball: Blue Devils feel the Vern, vanquish Golden Bears

On the back of its freshman big man, the Duke basketball team made a strong statement in its first game atop the AP Poll.

Against Cal on Thursday night at the 2K Empire Classic, Duke basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski started all four freshmen for the first time all season.

Out of the gates, the youngsters responded to the opportunity inside Duke’s home away from home, Madison Square Garden, combining to score the first 18 points for the newly minted No. 1 team in the nation and leading the squad to a 40-21 advantage at the half.

But up until Duke’s 87-52 win was no longer in doubt, it was the freshman center who has started every game this season, Vernon Carey Jr. — you know, the one who…