Icebreakers

ON BOARD THE CHOCK -- Breaking ice is a dogged and fleeting business.Yesterday, the Chock -- a 65-foot Coast Guard cutter out of Norfolk -- pulled away from the dock at Crisfield and pointed her reinforced steel nose with its underwater "hammer" toward Tangier Island, setting off on a route she had already plowed twice in the previous 18 hours.Much of the way, it might as well have been the first time.Wind, tide and the hard freeze overnight had ensured there would be no neat channel of open water to follow.

The numbing, record-breaking cold wave that has Maryland in its grip brought discomfort and inconvenience to many yesterday as pipes froze and burst, engines stalled and exposed skin felt the sting of winter.But the residents of the islands in the Chesapeake Bay were truly in a bind, cut off from the mainland by ice that prevented the arrival of boats that regularly deliver mail and provisions. Ice-breaking cutters came to the rescue yesterday, bringing much-needed deliveries of staples such as food, milk and medicine.

After 11 years in Division I, Loyola grabbed the big victory it has been looking for.Xavier, a team that has been to six straight NCAA tournaments, was the victim last night at Reitz Arena, along with Pete Gillen, its highly regarded coach.The underdog Greyhounds rallied from a 10-point, first-half deficit to defeat Xavier, 68-52, before 2,179."This is the kind of victory that should make people around here realize that we can beat the good teams and make them want to come out and watch us play," Loyola coach Tom Schneider said.

IcebreakersWhere: 133 W. North Ave.Hours: 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Monday to Friday, 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.Menu: Sunday brunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.Credit cards: Not accepted.Call: 783-0080. One of the frustrations of urban bar life is that the cocktail mix of liquid refreshment and outgoing people may make you want to get up and dance, only to discover that the bar has a 29-cent-stamp-sized dance floor.That's why a good-sized dance floor is always welcome news. At Icebreakers, an alternative dance club, the oak floor is ready to withstand plenty of hard black shoes and fashion statement boots.