FORT WAYNE, Indiana (Ticker) -- Chris Thomas scored a career-high 39 points as Notre Dame advanced to the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament with a 77-66 victory over St. Louis.

With the Joyce Center being used for the NCAA Women's tournament, the Fighting Irish (19-12) were forced to play the game at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

Thomas managed just 11 points on 3-of-13 shooting in Notre Dame's first-round win over Purdue on Wednesday. But he had 12 at halftime of this one as the Fighting Irish took a 26-25 lead.

Thomas snapped a 35-35 tie with a 3-pointer at the 14:35 mark and scored 10 points during a 17-8 spurt that pushed Notre Dame's lead to 52-44 nearly five minutes later. He then had 11 straight points in a span of 2:55, helping increase the lead to 65-48 with 6 1/2 minutes to play.

Thomas was the only player in double figures for Notre Dame, which faces either George Mason or Oregon for the right to advance to Madison Square Garden.

Josh Fisher scored 21 points for St. Louis, which was facing the Fighting Irish for the first time since 1985.