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The amazing story of how a woman saved the life of a college basketball coach

SAN ANTONIO - Other than his fiery sideline moments and occasional caustic retorts to college basketball reporters, Billy Gillispie isn't much on expressing emotion.

On Friday night, though, Gillispie's eyes reddened when, for the first time, he came face to face with the Ericka Downey, who after reading a Dec. 16 Dallas Morning News story about former Texas A&M and Kentucky coach Gillispie's medical plight felt compelled to bestow him the gift of life.

Namely one of her kidneys. Turns out it will be her left one, Downey and doctors decided after testing Sunday through Wednesday at Minnesota's Mayo Clinic confirmed that she is a donor match for Gillispie.