They came, they saw and they conquered Lawrence High on Wednesday night.

They came, they saw and they conquered Free State on Thursday night.

No way, though, that Shawnee Mission North’s sizzling girls basketball team will return to Lawrence tonight to play the Kansas University women.

“Nope,” SM North coach Jim Baker said following the 52-33 win over the Firebirds, the Indians’ eighth in their last nine outings. “The good news is we get to leave.”

SM North needed all 30 of the points it received from senior standout Maralene Zwarich to subdue the Lions on Wednesday night, but didn’t really need the 23 points she scored on Thursday night.

In losing for the fifth straight time, the Firebirds never mounted a threat because they shot only 29 percent (11 of 38). SM North, which ended the regular season with a 14-6 record, struggled to an 8-4 first-quarter lead, then exploded for 17 points in the second quarter and never looked back.

“The first quarter was pretty much what we wanted to happen,” Free State coach Craig Hershiser said. “Then we escaped our game plan and hurried up on offense.”

Free State had no answer for the 6-foot-1 Zwarich and 5-foot-10 Denisha Jackson (13 points) inside. Still, Hershiser felt the Firebirds did a decent job on Zwarich.

“All things considered, we’ve seen her score 28 and 30 points,” Hershiser said, “but a lot of times we made her work for her points.”

Zwarich cut into her production by missing four of seven free-throw attempts.

On Wednesday night, the Indians spoiled Lawrence High’s Senior Night. On Thursday night, they did the same thing to the Firebirds.

“The kids are disappointed, no doubt about it,” Hershiser said. “The key is how we handle our disappointment.”

Free State, virtually assured of the No. 8 seed in next week’s Class 6A sub-state by virture of its 6-13 record, still has a regular-season game remaining on Saturday at Shawnee Mission West, one of the Sunflower League’s weakest teams.

Free State’s league record is 2-7 while SM West is 1-7. The Vikings have a game scheduled tonight against Olathe East before meeting the Firebirds on Saturday.

Lauren Wright, one of three seniors who bowed out at home on Thursday night, led the Firebirds with nine points. She had a pair of three-point baskets to extend her school record to 46. Also bowing out were guards Stacie Garland and Julie Seidel.

SM North 52, Free State 33

SM NORTH (52)

Tracy Anderson 2 4-4 8, Denisha Jackson 6 1-1 13, Maralene Zwarich 10 3-7 23, Kendra Fisher 0 1-3 1, Cassie Tremonti 1 0-2 2, Katie Jorgenson 0 1-2 1, Ellen Jorgenson 1 0-0 2, Jaleena Davis 1 0-1 2. Totals 21 10-20 52.

FREE STATE (33)

Ramona Daney 2 0-0 4, Lauren Wright 3 1-2 9, Jayme Lisher 0 3-6, Stacie Garland 1 0-0 3, Julie Seidel 0 0-0 0, Jamie Stanclift 3 2-2 8, Kirby Beneventi 2 2-3 6, Amber Hinton 0 0-0 0, Lauren Abney 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 8-13 33

SM North 8 17 13 14 Â 52

Free State 4 9 6 14 Â 33

Three-point goals: Free State 3 (Wright 2, Garland); SM North 0. Total fouls: SM North 11, Free State 17. Fouled out: None. Turnovers: SM North 14, Free State 13. Shooting percentages: SM North 21-45 (46.6 percent), Free State 11-38 (29 percent).